Secrets & Demons
by tessinciucy
Summary: The life of our favorite team as a bunch of teenagers, filled with friendship, joy, sadness... secrets and demons. I know, I know, another teen story, but I hope you give this one a chance. A lot of Deeks and Densi but the whole team is there to play an important role.
1. Chapter 1

Hi everyone!

It's been a while! I am sorry I disappeared so abruptly a few months ago, but something happened and I decided to quit with this site. Talking to people, I realized that there were some of you out there that wanted to read my stories again, so I decided to give it another try since I never stopped writing.

As always I don't own NCISLA or its characters. This is kind of an AU story. I know that there are a lot of stories out there with our favorite guys as teeangers, but this one has been bugging me for ages so I have to put it on paper. You know how these things go ;)

A big thanks to purecraziness for her amazing job and for putting up with me and my awful English :))

* * *

Secrets & Demons** - **Chapter 1

"Martindale! Deeks! You're late, again. This makes five times in less than two weeks. If this is not a record, it's close enough!" Professor Dominguez, a small man with bushy black hair and mustache, almost yelled at the two boys he caught walking along the empty corridors. Lessons had already started but the two kids didn't seem to care that much. "I bet Miss Lange has something to say about it. She is waiting for you in her office. I assume you know the way."

"Waiting for us? How could it even be possible? She couldn't know we might be running late!" Ray Martindale, the shorter of the two protested with a mischievous grin that brightened his cunning blue eyes.

"I'd shut up if I was in you, Martindale. You're not making things any better," Dominguez rebuked to the boy, who didn't seem to catch the hint.

"But I simply want to…" He couldn't finish because the other boy, the taller one with shaggy blond hair grabbed the sleeve of his jacket and tried to drag him away. "Oh come on, Marty! I didn't say anything to make it worse. I only wanted to understand. The guy hates me!"

"And you blame him? If you weren't my best friend, I would hate you too." Marty Deeks gave his friend one of his infamous smiles. "Or I would have already killed you, probably."

"Oh you're not fair little brother! I only want to…" Again Ray had to stop talking, but this time his friend was looking at him with a very serious expression planted on his face.

"Ray, please, stop. Don't make things worse. You know I… if Miss Lange were to call our parents, I'd be screwed!" Deeks lowered his voice, so only Ray could hear him.

Martindale looked at him, nodding gravely. "Sorry, Marty, I was not thinking. I'll shut up."

"It's ok," the blond boy looked sad for a moment, like he was lost, but soon he had to defend himself from the assault of his friend's hug.

"Come on brother, let's go face her. The little gnome does not scare me!" Ray patted his friend on the shoulder.

"Are you sure? If I remember correctly, last time we were summoned to her office, you almost wet your pants." Deeks joked, his grin finally back.

"First, she didn't scare me. It was the fact that she wanted to call my father," Ray pointed his finger at his friend's chest. "And second, if you weren't my brother, I would strangle you!" His arms went again on the other boy's shoulder as they walked side by side.

They arrived at the principal's office and sat in their usual spot. They were kind of used to all of this, both Ray and Marty were what people called them, troubled kids. Both had a complicated upbringing with difficult families behind them and they had the tendency to get in some sort of trouble, even with the law. They had spent more than one night in jail, but thanks to a good dose of luck, they never ended up in juvie.

As they waited, they noticed a boy, around Ray's age, older than Marty, who was nervously sitting in front of them. It was not a familiar face so he probably was a new kid. The boy had short blondish hair and a pair of light blue eyes that looked very sad though.

Deeks frowned, there was something about the kid that knotted his stomach. The way he sat, the way he dressed… everything was saying that the kid probably had a rough life.

"Did you see his jeans Marty? He's got a look of one of those guys from the 70's," Ray told his friend, leaning towards him, grinning like an idiot. He didn't expect to be elbowed in his side. "Hey, what the hell brother?"

"Shut up, Ray! Stop judging him." Marty didn't add anything else but turned his attention to the new boy, offering his hand to shake. "Hi, I'm Marty, but everyone except this moron here, calls me Deeks. Are you new?"

The other boy was a bit surprised at first, not expecting the blond kid to talk to him, but tentatively, he grabbed the offered hand, shaking it. "Callen. G Callen… and almost everyone calls me Callen."

"G? What kind of name is that?" Ray asked with a wary face.

"Ray!" Again Deeks hit his friend, shaking his head. "Don't mind him, Callen. My friend Ray has a brain of a three-year old kid. A monkey has a bigger brain that he has, but don't worry, he's harmless."

Callen smiled at the comment and for the first time, his eyes sparkled.

Marty noticed it and he was very pleased. He didn't know why, but he felt a strange connection with the boy, something that he couldn't put a finger on. "So, back to my question, are you new around here?"

"Yes, I've just been transferred here to a new foster family." His expression darkened again. "And they signed me to this school."

"You'll like it here. It's very entertaining." Deeks replied without doing any remark about the foster family situation, something that made Callen very grateful.

"You really don't know how…" Ray grinned, but the smirk died on his lips when the door of the principal's office opened and a voice called his name. "Mr. Martindale, would you mind coming in?"

"Wish me luck, brother!" Ray said to his friend, exchanging a handshake.

Marty smiled, pushing him towards the office, and then narrowing his eyes he spoke to Callen directly. "Have you already met Miss Lange?"

"Yes, she's… interesting," the new kid chuckled.

"Interesting? Well, that's not the first word that would come to my mind thinking about our honorable garden gnome."

Callen's timid smile turned into a fat laugh. "I think you're right ahahahah. Let's say scary? Intimidating? Mysterious?"

Deeks was going to reply when a big black boy showed up in front of him, standing between him and Callen.

The big kid cast a scolding glance to him, moving his attention to the new boy. "Are you G. Callen?" he asked.

G nodded studying the newcomer.

"I'm Sam Hanna and Miss Lange asked me to show you around. We're in the same classes so it's easier this way."

Callen got up, fixing his jacket "Ok, then, let's take a look around." He was leaving, following Sam, when he turned to Deeks. "Bye Deeks, nice to meet you. See you around."

His big escort took him by his arm. "You better choose your friends carefully. That Deeks guy is a troublemaker, he and his buddy Martindale are bad kids. Stay away from them if you don't want to get in serious trouble yourself"

Deeks heard him saying it. "I heard you Sammy boy." He winked in the other kid's direction.

Callen couldn't do anything other than burst out laughing. No matter what Sam told him, he liked Deeks.

The door of Miss Lange's office opened and Ray came out bowing his head.

"The gnome is on the roll today, Marty. Behave." His face was serious as he put a hand over his friend's shoulder.

Deeks' expression was even more serious and his eyes had lost his joyful light. "Ok," he simply said.

"Mr. Deeks, I'm waiting!" a voice called for him.

The blond boy closed his eyes, taking a long, deep breath. He cast a look at Ray first, then without realizing it, he stared at Callen, surprised to find sympathy in his blue eyes. They looked at each other for a moment then he walked towards the office.

G couldn't stop thinking about the other boy's eyes, of his expression. He knew that look, full of defiance, of pride, but mostly of fear. Sighing heavily, he turned on his heels and followed Sam but the uneasy feeling that had gripped his heart watching Deeks go to the principal never left him alone for a long time.

"Well, well, well, Mr. Deeks. It seems that we're seeing each other a little bit too often." Hetty Lange said intently studying the teenager in front of him. She was a small woman, with rounded glasses adorning her knowing eyes. She always wore weird colored suits but no one dared to make a fool of her. She was pretty intimidating, keeping the whole school in line without shouting or saying a word too much when it was not needed. She knew every boy and girl who attended her school by name and all of their backstories were not a mystery to her.

Marty Deeks was one of the most complicated cases she had ever met. Saying that he had a difficult childhood was the understatement of the century; he hung out with the wrong guys that probably led him towards the wrong way. He made a lot of mistakes and idiocies, but he was a very smart kid. She had kept a close eye on his marks and in spite of the fact that they weren't spectacular, she had seen how good he was. He had a quick mind and sadly a smart mouth that put him in trouble in more than one occasion. It looked like he tried not to show how good he was so he wouldn't be left apart by his group of friends.

"Well, it seems to me that you enjoy my company since you're the one always summoning me here." A cunning grin curved the boy's lips.

"Mr. Deeks, you know that you can be suspended if you continue to show up late for school. I don't think your mother would appreciate it."

Deeks tensed when the principal mentioned his mother, his eyes narrowed and his tongue played nervously with his lips.

"Sometimes I truly don't understand you. You could have a brilliant future, but you are throwing it away behaving like a street thug. Why do you do that?" Hetty continued, her eyes went deeply into the boy's ocean blue ones.

"When will you stop with this damn story?" The kid got up, very upset, slamming his palm on the desk. "I don't have any brilliant future in front of me! I'm an idiot, nothing more. So if you're finished lecturing me, I want to go back to my lessons!"

"Sit down Mr. Deeks. I haven't finished with you and if you continue like this, I will be forced to call your mother!" Miss Lange incinerated him with her gaze and once again she witnessed the change in the boy who silently sat back in front of her. "Ok, now that you're done, I have an assignment for you. I am going to assign you a partner for your studies. You think you're an idiot, I think you're far from it. At the end of this semester, we will see the result and we will see who was right and who was wrong."

"No! I don't want a partner. I have my rhythm, my times, and my schedule. I don't want to…" he couldn't finish because Hetty stopped him.

"I don't care about any of this. You follow my suggestion and you'll be ok. You don't and you'll be suspended, your mother summoned and your school career over!"

"You can't do that! My grades are good enough, even without this bullshit. You're not fair!" protested the boy clearly upset at the idea of sharing some time with some boring geek who would be tutoring him.

"Life is not fair, Mr. Deeks." Miss Lange said smiling foxily.

"Oh you tell me!" Deeks waved his hands in the air, rolling his eyes. "Please note that I hate you right now!"

"Duly noted, Mr. Deeks. Now if you calm down, I'll introduce you to your study partner." The principal picked up her phone and asked her secretary to allow the person waiting outside to come in.

Marty turned around to look at the door and his expression was a mix of annoyance and furious. He expected one of the crazy geniuses of the chemical lab to step inside but he never expected this.

"Mr. Deeks, let me introduce you…" Hetty was suddenly interrupted.

"Kensi Marie Blye," Deeks stated.

A gorgeous brunette with long wavy hair and mismatched brown eyes stood in front of him, looking at him skeptically. "Miss Lange, really? Deeks? Is that the best you could do?" She asked a bit disappointed.

"The best she could do!" Marty replied grinning like an idiot. He had landed eyes on this girl months ago, but he never managed to get closer to her, mostly because she was out of his league and because he didn't feel at her level. His smile grew wider thinking that maybe Hetty's punishment was not entirely bad.

"Miss Lange, Hetty, I don't need to deal with him. I don't want it." Kensi protested vehemently.

"You're wounding me here princess," Deeks remarked winking cunningly.

"Oh shut up!" She cast a scolding glance to him. Her mismatched eyes were sending daggers towards him. "I need my grades to be good, being partnered with him is not…"

"For your information, I am not stupid. You'll be surprised by what you might find out about me." The boy was a bit annoyed by her comment but he hid it behind one of his smiles.

"Really? Not stupid? I wouldn't say that according to the people you hang out with!"

"Really? Just to be clear, Ray is my best friend and he might not be the brightest kid in the school, but he…" Marty's voice cracked a little as his mind travelled to places he would gladly forget about. "He's been there for me, he still is in spite of everything!" He got up and moved towards the door.

"Mr. Deeks, I haven't finished yet." Hetty told him with a bossy tone, beckoning to come back.

"I have finished. I have to work with Miss Perfection here, good, but don't ask me to like her. You probably don't like me, well join the club!" Deeks' blue eyes darkened as a hint of sorrow veiled them. "Let's work together, let's do our homework, but this is it. Now I am sorry but I have lessons to attend to. You don't want to run the risk to leave me so… ignorant, do you?"

His words touched Kensi, she felt bad for her attitude. Maybe she should have given him a chance, the benefit of doubt, before spitting on him. Everyone at school knew Marty Deeks, knew what kind of troubled kid he was. She allowed common opinion to influence her, but what if the rest of the people were wrong? She didn't know why, but for a moment she had felt something, like she had seen a glimpse of the real Marty Deeks. And she had liked it.

She watched him walk through the door and disappear from her view; a sense of emptiness pervaded her but she tried to shake it away.

The principal looked at her with knowing eyes. "You can go, Miss Blye. I think you have some work to do as well."

The girl felt the older woman's scrutinizing glance on her. Was she referring to work on her grades or to something else? Taking a long deep breath, she moved towards the exit door. "Goodbye Miss Lange."

"Miss Blye?" Hetty called her.

"Yes?"

"Just remember, don't judge a book by its cover and think with your own mind." The older woman went back to her paperwork, leaving a more confused Kensi on her own.

* * *

It was late that evening when Deeks got home. The lights on the streets and the ones in the house were already on. People were getting ready to spend the night with their families, enjoying some quiet time away from the troubles of the real life going on outside of their doors.

Marty walked inside his apartment and immediately a dog ran towards him, greeting him, wagging his tail and licking his face. "Monty! Hey there boy! How have you been today? Come on, let's get out for a walk."

Without waiting any longer he put the leash on and took the dog out. Monty couldn't be happier as he walked side by side with his young master. They reached the beach, one of Deeks' favorite places ever, and they just sat there observing the waves crashing on the sand.

The boy couldn't stop thinking about that girl and about her words. He didn't know why, but they had hurt him. Usually he was very good when it came to deflecting his real emotions using his humor and his wit, but this time had been different. This time he simply wasn't able to do it.

"Ah hell, Marty! Get yourself together! It's just a girl!" He told himself frustrated, but the more he tried not to think about it, the more his mind went straight to her and what she said about him.

Irritated, he got up, startling his dog. "Ah screw you, Kensi Blye. You know nothing about me!"

Shaking his head, he started walking towards his house; he had his apartment in sight when he saw something he didn't expect.

Kensi was sitting on the stairs leading to his apartment and it looked like she was waiting for him.

His body tensed at the sight. He wanted to turn on his heels and go back, but Monty was already pulling since he couldn't wait to go home and get one of his treats.

"Hey…" Kensi told him, greeting him with a shy smile.

"Hey." Deeks passed his tongue over his lips, swallowing nervously.

"Is that your dog?" Her attention moved to Monty, who was sniffing her feet suspiciously.

"Monty."

"Monty, nice… he looks like you," she said scratching the dog behind his ears, making him moan in pleasure. "You're a good boy."

Once again, Deeks felt uneasy in front of her. His dog was very friendly, but he acted like he had known her for years. Weird. "What do you want?" He asked a bit too rudely.

Kensi sighed heavily. She expected things to be cold between them, but this was more difficult than she had planned and imagined. "Deeks, please. I am here to apologize."

"Apologize?" His question was said in a mix of anger and incredulity. "Why should you apologize, you've been so nice to me!"

She was getting a bit frustrated since he was not making things any easier, "Look, I acted like a real jerk, I shouldn't have, but… I… well… you are…"

"Please go on," he told her, noticing how embarrassed she was. It was his little revenge. "You're not helping your cause."

"Oh damn it, Deeks! You know what people say about you at school. You're not exactly Mr. Popularity and I need good grades, I can't have bad ones, because I… because of what I want to do after school."

"You know what hurt me the most? Not what you said, but the fact that you didn't even give me a chance. You simply listened to what other people thought, without using your own mind!" His voice was still quiet and calm, but his words were sharp like a razor.

"No, it's not…" Kensi was trying to defend herself, when her eyes locked with his blue orbs and in that moment she knew nothing anymore.

There was something in his eyes that went straight into her soul. They were so deep, full of pain, of sorrow, of desperation and mostly of hurt.

She had always thought that Marty Deeks was just a street thug, a complete idiot, someone so superficial who didn't care for anything, but the more she looked at his blue eyes, the more she realized how wrong she had been.

"I am truly sorry and you're right. I didn't think with my own mind. I made a mistake but I won't do it again," she told him, meaning every single word. She didn't know why but she found herself praying that he could believe her, that he could forgive her and her prejudices. "Can we just start from the beginning? If we have to study together, it would be better to have a civil relationship, don't you think?" She knew she was pushing the boundaries a little, but she felt the need of a fresh start with him.

Deeks observed her, studying Kensi's face, her nervousness, her eyes and without any warning, he gave her the biggest and brightest smile she had ever seen. "I think I can do that Fern!" he winked cunningly.

"Don't you dare call me Fern!"

"Sorry, Fern, but I think I just did it!" The boy's grin grew wider as he enjoyed teasing her.

For a brief moment Kensi was startled. A second before he was mad at her, now he was joking and teasing her. Marty Deeks was definitely starting to intrigue her.

"Why don't you come inside? I think I can offer you something…" He offered genuinely without malice. "…if you trust me enough not to poison you!"

"Oh shut up! Why do you have to ruin the moment? You actually said something nice, why add something stupid?" Kensi tilted her head to one side, looking at him with a scolding glance.

"Because I am stupid, have you forgotten about it?" Deeks' expression changed; the smile on his face disappeared and a dark shadow veiled his blue eyes. He didn't give her time to reply because he passed by her and went to open the door of his apartment. This was what Monty was waiting for; in a rush, he ran inside, literally assaulting his water bowl.

Kensi followed them inside and was surprised by what she saw. She had expected to find a messy house where the passage of a complicated teenager like Marty Deeks was evident. The apartment was far from that. It was tidy and very organized. Almost nothing was out of place, hell her room was such a mess compared to this.

"Wow, your mum does a great job here!" She exclaimed out of nowhere.

Deeks stopped what he was doing, turning to face her with a wary expression planted on his face. "My mother?"

"Yeah, look at how neat this place is…" She paused abruptly noticing something in his eyes. "Tell me you're not the one responsible for this cleanness…"

"You did it again, Fern." He moved towards the small kitchen, opening the fridge and picking up two cans of soda. He walked towards the couch and sank into it after laying the sodas on the table in front of it.

Once again Kensi felt guilty because she made the same mistake another time. She took a long breath, sitting in the armchair next to the couch. "Where's your mum?" She asked candidly, trying to change the subject of the conversation.

Deeks froze, staring at her, biting his lip. The soda he was holding stopped halfway up to his mouth.

Kensi didn't know why, but for a moment she felt very uncomfortable. There was something in Deeks' eyes that she couldn't decipher, something she couldn't put a finger on.

"She's at work. She is… working the night shift at the company." Deeks muttered, taking his gaze away from her, like he wanted to avoid her scrutinizing glance. "Why are you really here Kensi?" He suddenly asked.

She was taken aback by his question, mostly because she truly didn't know why herself. Yes, she wanted to apologize, but she could have done that at school the day after. There was no need for her to be here at this time of the night. "I… I thought I told you that I wanted to apologize."

"Well, it's not that you're doing such a great job in that department though," he mocked her, petting Monty who had joined him on the couch.

"Oh hell! Why can't you simply accept my apology without building things up? Man, now it seems that everything is my fault!" Kensi tried to defend herself, but she didn't sound very convincing.

"And whose fault should be? I wasn't the one who insulted you! I was perfectly fine without this whole partnership-tutoring stuff! You know what? Actually I don't need you around messing with me and with my life! I may be an idiot, but I still have enough dignity…"

"Wow! Stop it there, Shaggy!" She interrupted his long speech, jumping on her feet. "I didn't ask for any of it either! Miss Lange didn't give me a chance so whether you like it or not, you're stuck with me! You better reason with that and stop complaining. Ok, I made a mistake and hurt your feelings, but hey, it's not that you do a lot to make people believe you're not just a punk, a… little thug! Actually, I think you like that people believe that so they'll avoid you and you don't have to deal with them!"

"Wow!" Deeks exclaimed with an ironic smile that he used to cover the fact that she might be right. "I didn't know I was dealing with a young version of Doctor Freud. At least you are not as ugly as him…"

"You actually know who Freud is. Now I am truly impressed!" Kensi said ironically, but was actually impressed.

"Just for the record, I am only part Neanderthal," he replied smirking, slightly enjoying the banter. He didn't like being hurt by her fallacy, but he couldn't deny the fact that she could hold her own against him, something that didn't happen too often.

"Maybe, we'll see." A cunning grin appeared on her face. "Ok, I think it's getting late and my mum would be worried if I didn't show up at home soon." She stared intently at him, sure to find relief in his eyes, but she was surprised to read a hint of disappointment in his blue orbs.

"Yeah… I think you're right. Don't let her be worried. You know how mums are…" Without saying anything else, Deeks grabbed his jacket and moved towards the door.

"What are you doing?" She asked confused.

"I'm walking you home. This neighborhood is not exactly the best and I don't trust you wandering all alone along the streets at this time of the night."

"Deeks, it's barely 9:30pm…" she protested, surprised by his kindness.

"It doesn't matter. This whole area is not safe… don't you know how many Marty Deeks are around here?" He spoke with a smile planted on his lips but his eyes couldn't hide a hint of sorrow.

"You're not that bad," Kensi told him, surprising even herself.

He lifted his eyebrows skeptically. "Really?"

"Oh shut up! Don't make me regret saying it!" Without waiting for a reply, she headed outside.

Deeks couldn't stop himself from smirking. "Come on Monty! Time to go for a walk!" The dog opened his eyes and reluctantly got down off the couch, stretched his muscles, and trotted out of the apartment.

Marty closed the door behind him and unexpectedly excited, he followed Kensi and his dog.

During her way home, Kensi realized how wrong she had been. Deeks was a very interesting person, not as close-minded or obtuse as she had first imagined. He was much smarter than he let on, with a quick mind and a great sense of humor. He was still annoying and infuriating, but in a good way.

They talked and joked for the very best part of the walk and she didn't even realize that they were standing right in front of her house. "And here we are. Thank you, Deeks. You truly didn't have to take me home, but it was instructive."

"Instructive, Fern? Really? I thought my charming personality almost blinded you from how much it was shining!" He said with that infuriating cocky grin painted on his face, but Kensi this time, couldn't be mad at him.

She simply chuckled, shaking her head. "In your dreams, Deeks! In your dreams!"

"Oh come on, don't tell me you're not amazed…" He winked, bumping her shoulder with his.

Kensi was conflicted. During the whole way home, Deeks had been a perfect gentleman and a very funny companion. She didn't remember the last time she smiled so often and so fully. Probably not since her father's death. She closed her eyes, sighing. "_What's happening here?_" she thought a bit afraid of her own feelings.

"Fern? Are you ok?" He asked a bit worried by her weird behavior.

As an answer she punched him in the shoulder. "I have already told you not to call me Fern!"

"Oh come on, I know you like it!" Deeks put his hands in his pockets, showing a little of uneasiness. He liked this girl, a lot, and he didn't want to screw things up with her.

Kensi observed him, eager to look into his blue eyes one more time before wishing him goodnight. "So, I think it's time to call it a night."

"Yeah." He kicked a stone, trying to be nonchalant, but failing miserably. He lifted his head and his blue eyes found her mismatched ones. "Goodnight, Kensi."

"Goodnight, Deeks… and thanks," she replied almost shyly.

"So tomorrow…"

"Tomorrow?" Kensi wondered, frowning, with a hint of panic in her voice, what he was referring to.

"The partnership… tutoring…" He was a bit disappointed, but decided to ignore it.

"Yes, of course. What do you think if we meet after school at the library?" She suggested, biting her lip nervously. She couldn't understand why she is feeling so anxious, so on edge.

"Perfect. Library. After school." His whole face brightened up.

She leaned towards Monty, petting him sweetly. "Be good boy."

The dog rewarded her with a lick on her face and both her and Deeks couldn't hold a laugh.

"Come on, Monty. Time to go home." The boy turned on his heels, but had to turn back again to cast one last look to Kensi. He was surprised to find her staring back at him. He waved timidly at her and then walked away.

He never saw the big smile on Kensi's face that mirrored the one on his lips.


	2. Chapter 2

A big thank you for the response to the first chapter and an even bigger one to purecraziness for her help.

* * *

Secrets & Demons - Chapter 2

"Marty, I called you at least one hundred times last night, where the hell have you been?" Ray curiously asked his friend as they walked along the corridors of their school, still crowded since for once they were not late for lessons.

"I was out with Monty, the boy was a bit restless." Deeks replied, trying to cut him short. He knew very well that his friend would not stop until he had answers.

"Monty? Really? Is this your excuse Marty? You're losing your touch brother!" The older boy watched Marty roll his eyes and try to change the subject of the conversation, and immediately he knew. "You were with a girl! You little scoundrel! When were you going to tell me about it? Is she hot? Do I know her? Is she..." He stopped his questioning when he witnessed his friend's stare at a gorgeous brunette who was passing by along with a shorter girl with red hair who looked exactly like a pixie. Ray noticed how Deeks played nervously with his tongue while his eyes lightened up as he beckoned at the taller girl. "Damn it, Marty, is that her? She looks exactly like..."

"Shut up Ray, ok? Yes the resemblance is uncanny but... nothing happened. Miss Lange wants her to tutor me so last night she came to my apartment to make arrangements and then it was too late and I couldn't let her go home all alone. You know how dangerous our neighborhood is."

"Wow, slow down a moment, little brother!" Martindale became more serious and he grabbed his friend's arm firmly. "She was at your apartment? Did she notice..."

"Everything is ok, Ray, don't worry. I've got it covered. You know I am very careful about it." Deeks locked his blue eyes on his friend's to let him know that he didn't let anything slip and that everything was under control. It was too important for him to make a stupid mistake.

"Just be careful, ok? You know I wouldn't like you to..."

"Ray, I said don't worry. Nothing will happen." Marty stated firmly, his jaw tensed.

Ray passed his hand on his friend's neck in a very affectionate and brotherly way. "I worry about you. You're my little brother and it's my mission to protect you and keep you safe."

Deeks bowed his head. He owed Ray Martindale his own life. If it weren't for him, he probably wouldn't be here right now. "I know and you know how much I appreciate it, but on the other hand, you know I can take care of myself."

His friend's face brightened up as a mischievous grin appeared on it. "Not when it comes to hot girls! Brother, that brunette is smoking hot!"

"Oh shut up, man! Kensi is..."

"Kensi? Man, this is serious! You two have a Thing!" Ray pressed him.

"There's no Thing!" Marty tried to deflect the insinuation with a smile, but it didn't work very well since his friend continued mocking him.

"Maybe, if this is as serious as it looks, you can ask her if she could introduce me to her pixie friend. You know how much I love redheads."

A fat laugh escaped from Deeks' lips. "My dear brother, that girl is Nell Jones. She is a genius. Her IQ is probably four times higher than yours and you know very well that anyone with a little bit of brain would never hang out with you!" He teased the older boy, poking him with his elbow.

"You're still hanging out with me and..."

"It's different! You're my brother!" The blond kid stopped his friend before he could finish his sentence.

Ray sighed heavily. Marty hated bragging but he was extremely smart, his mind was quick, and he could remember things in a way no one could. He would have a bright future in front of him but after everything happened to him, his self-esteem was equal to zero so he preferred to let people think he was a complete idiot. At least they would leave him alone. "You should stop doing that Marty. You're ruining your chances to have a better life, to get away from this place..."

"Ray stop! You know how I feel about this. I don't care, ok? I like spending time with you, I like hanging out with you. I am happy when I do it, so stop it. Please?!" Deeks' expression was extremely serious and every trace of a joke was long gone.

Martindale was attempting to reply but his friend prevented him from doing it.

"Hey, look! There's the new guy over there!" Marty exclaimed waving at the lonely boy in the corner. "Callen, hey!" He greeted the boy.

"Hey Deeks, Ray."

"How did your first day go? I hope your bodyguard didn't bore you to death!" Deeks said, winking playfully.

Callen chuckled amused. "Nah, he's not boring me at all. Sam is a very nice guy and surprisingly, very funny."

"Are you serious? Sam Hanna? Mr. Perfection a funny guy? Something is wrong with you man!" Ray intervened a bit shocked.

"You are wrong, Martindale," a deep voice coming from behind made the smaller boy jump.

"Oh well, if I am wrong, the whole world is..."

"You better shut up, brother," Deeks warned his friend. "Sammy boy looks pretty upset!"

"I am upset when you two are around. You know how much I despise troublemakers!" Sam stood tall, showing his imposing figure, trying to intimidate the other boys.

"We're such nice guys who simply enjoy our life and who like having some fun. What's life without a bit of fun?" Marty replied mockingly but his eyes were serious. "Oh wait, you don't know the meaning of this word. Callen, you better teach him..."

Callen was amused by Marty's reaction. He had witnessed the respect most of the students gave Sam because they feared him. Deeks not only was not scared, but he didn't care at all about how big or intimidating Sam was. He challenged him and liked to do it.

The big boy was not used to this kind of behavior and lost his composure, pushing the leaner, blond boy backwards, preparing to hit him.

"Hey, there's no need to use violence!" Ray put himself in the middle, almost disappearing between the two taller boys because of his short stature.

"Yes, Ray's right. We can have a civil conversation without recurring to violence," Callen echoed, grabbing his new friend's arm. "Come on, Sam, nothing happened."

"Nothing happened? You don't know him, G. You don't know what he's capable of. He..."

"Don't you dare finish that sentence, Hanna, or you'll have to deal with me!" Martindale shouted pointing his finger straight at the big boy's chest.

"Oh shut up, Martindale. You're no better than him! Do you think I am afraid of you?" Sam towered the other boy trying to scare him.

"Enough guys, you're making a scene here!" Kensi, who in the meantime had reached the source of the commotion, told them. She knew Sam very well since their fathers had served together and he was like a big brother to her. When she had seen him challenge Deeks, she had rushed towards them in order to avoid a fight.

"Kensi, stay out of this! It's between me and Deeks!"

"Oh Sammy boy, you're really scary. Bbbrrr..." Deeks pretended to shiver from fear. "I'm shaking." A smirk curved his lips.

This was too much for Sam, tired of being humiliated. "For sure I am not scared of you, Deeks. And you didn't even have a gun in your hand now! I am not your father... I am..." He couldn't finish the sentence because Deeks punched him in the face.

Marty's eyes were filled with anger, but mostly with tears. Still trembling he launched against Sam and punched him then, without saying a single word, he turned around and walked away.

"Are you insane? Did someone cut off your brain along with your hair?" Ray shouted, barely containing his fury. He couldn't believe the big boy went to that extent to hurt his friend. "Why the hell did you do that? You know what... gah, obviously you don't know! Damn it! Marty... Marty!" He called trying to reach his friend, but a hand grabbed his wrist, stopping him. "Hey, let me go! He needs me now!"

"Let me talk to him," Kensi told him, barely holding her tears. She couldn't even imagine what Marty was going through right now. "I need you here, if Miss Lange shows up..."

The older boy passed his hand through his hair, closing his eyes. "Take care of him and be patient, he... it's hard for him."

"I will," she simply said before running after Deeks who was already out of sight.

"Can someone tell me what the hell happened here?" Callen asked feeling like a fish out of the pond. It was just his second day here and he didn't know people very well, but he liked Sam and he had felt a strange connection with Deeks, so he was a bit conflicted at the moment.

"Why don't you ask your Hulk friend here?" Ray indicated to the big boy, speaking with a venomous tone.

"Screw it, Martindale! If you haven't seen it, it was your friend who punched me!" The big boy massaged his jaw. "We all know what Shaggy did! You know how dangerous someone like him can be!"

"Someone like him? Can you hear what you're saying? You're insane!" Ray was beyond pissed.

"Why do I talk to you? He's your friend and you will always defend him! But we all know what he did." Sam paused, turning towards Callen who stared at him with curious and questioning expression. "Hell G! Deeks shot his father... when he was eleven!"

Shock could be clearly read on the new boy's face as he stood mouth open unable to say a word.

"SHUT UP!" Ray yelled angrily, attracting everyone around attention. Then lowering his voice, he moved closer to the bigger boy. "You know nothing about Marty, so shut the fuck up before I do something I might regret!"

"On come on, you can't see things objectively because he is like your little brother, but he shot his father, do you have an idea of what this means?"

"Oh trust me, I know exactly what it means, because I gave Marty the gun he used and I did it because his father was a sick bastard who has been beating him and his mother since he was barely three years old. The bastard deserved what he got and if Marty didn't do it, he would be dead right now... but how could you understand any of it?" Ray spat on the floor, disgusted, before turning on his heels and leaving.

Sam stood motionless. He didn't know any of it and a sense of guilt gnawed at his stomach that slowly turned upside down.

Callen finally understood why he had felt connected to Deeks immediately. His instinct had immediately realized what was behind Marty's blue eyes and cheeky grin. There was a little shadow always veiling those blue orbs that only someone who lived something as bad could understand and catch. This was why G. Callen felt so close to Marty Deeks. Pain could feel pain, it was natural.

* * *

Kensi sprinted to catch up with Deeks, she was almost out of breath and her legs were protesting, but she was determined not to give up.

"Deeks!" She called, almost screaming his name, but it seemed that he didn't have any intention to stop. She quickened her pace and finally caught up with him when he was almost at the beach. "Deeks, wait!"

He stopped for a moment, staring at her, surprised to see her behind him, but then started walking again until he almost reached the ocean.

Kensi studied him, as he looked at the infinite blue of the sea, unmoving, while the cold breeze of the morning ruffled his hair. "Deeks…" She insisted, moving closer to him.

"What are you doing here, Kensi? You're missing your lessons, aren't you afraid of your grades anymore?" He spoke with a hoarse voice as a tear rolled down his cheek.

"I don't care about school," she stated simply, stopping right beside him, following his gaze without looking straight at him. "I am here for you."

"I don't need your pity, Kensi, or anyone else's," he told her bitterly and rudely. "I'm not a desperate case!"

"And I am not here to pity you. I came here to see if you needed a friend."

Surprised by the kindness of her voice and her tone, Deeks turned his head to face her, unable to say a single word.

Kensi felt a tight knot forming in her stomach when his blue eyes looked at her like they were trying to pierce her soul. They were so sad, so full of pain, of hurt… of sorrow. "I can understand how hard it is for you."

"Really?" His reply was ironic and full of venom.

She closed her eyes, tilting her head on one side, a bit ashamed, but she was determined not to give up on him. "I know how it feels when people pity you, when they look at you like you're made of glass, when they treat you differently because they fear to hurt you. When my father died, I only wanted to get away from all of that, well I even ran away because it was too much. I wanted my life back, a bit of normality, the control of my life back, not people walking on eggshell around me."

"At least people never treated you like you were a monster…" Deeks said with a sad note in his words, before walking away only to sit on the sand a few meters away. His eyes were veiled by unshed tears and he was trying hard to hold himself together, but it was not easy because of the turmoil of emotions almost overwhelming him.

Kensi rushed at his side, sitting next to him. It broke her heart seeing him like that. It was weird because they had just started talking and becoming friends the night before, but she felt that this was the place where she needed to be. At his side. "Ray told us what truly happened…"

Marty flashed her a cold stare, a mix of fear and anger. "Damn him and his loose tongue!"

"He only wanted to help you and to put Sam in his place." She tried to touch him but he wriggled away from her. "He is your friend and wanted to defend you, don't be too hard on him. For once he did the right thing, something good."

"It wasn't his story to tell…"

"Probably, but maybe he felt that you would have never said anything about it, taking all the verbal abuses people would throw at you without defending yourself," she said with a lot of sadness filling her words. "And just for the record, Sam was really out of line. He didn't have any right to bring that story up."

Deeks bowed his head, looking at his feet like he was lost in his thoughts. "Do you miss him?" He asked out of nowhere, surprising Kensi who didn't expect such a direct approach.

"What?"

The blond boy locked his eyes on hers as he spoke. "Your father, do you miss him?"

She felt a lump forming in her throat that became suddenly dry. This was probably the worst chapter of her life and talking was still tough for her. But she had promised Ray that she would take care of Deeks, being patient with him, so she played along. "Always, every day, every moment of my day. My father and I had such a tight and special bond. He taught me everything I know. I am the person I am right now, because of him. He was my entire world and I am sure, I was the same for him."

Marty moved his gaze back to the ocean, unable to hold her stare and all the love for her father that transpired from it. He never felt that kind of love, but he wasn't jealous. He was truly happy for her. For a lot of years, he had thought that what happened in his family, in his house, was the normality of the things, what happened everywhere. When he realized that it wasn't exactly the truth, he couldn't be more happy that other kids didn't have to go through what he was going through and from the deep of his heart, he was truly relieved.

"What about your mum? You said that you ran away after your father's death. Don't you get along with your mum?"

Kensi was a bit startled by his perceptiveness. He was really very smart. "It was complicated. I have always been daddy's little girl, he allowed me to do almost everything I wanted. My mother was a little bit more rigid and I didn't take it very well, I didn't understand that she was doing it for my own sake. We fought a lot, almost every day, we never agreed on anything, then when my dad died, I reversed all of my sadness and frustration against her and one day, exasperated, I ran away. I lived here and there for almost a month until I realized how wrong I was. My mother was suffering as much as I was. She was not my father and no one will ever take his place in my heart, but she was doing her best for me, in her way maybe, but it was her best and I simply had to get used to it. I realized that she loved me and she still loves me in spite of everything. I… I accepted it, I came back home and since then we have been trying to find our balance. Some days are harder than others, because we are very different, but it's good to know that I have someone who cares for me, someone who will always love me, someone who will always wait for me at home with open arms."

Deeks bit his lip nervously and moved his attention back to the ocean. "Yeah, right..."

"Isn't it the same for you?" She asked kindly. "Knowing that your mother is there for you…" She saw his shoulders become tense as he tried to take a long breath.

"My house has been hell for a long time. I am just happy it's not like that anymore." Marty said without replying to her statement in the way she expected.

Kensi was a bit confused by his behavior, she felt like there was something missing, something she could not really understand. She decided to go with the flow though, without questioning him too much. For what she had learnt so far about Marty Deeks, pushing him was the wrong move. Her hand moved to his forearm, silently telling him she was here whenever he wanted to talk.

"What… what did Ray tell you?" He finally asked breaking the awkward silence that had fallen in the air. His blue eyes locked on hers and once again she could only lose herself in them.

"He said that… well… that your father was not exactly a saint."

A chuckle escaped from Deeks' lips as an answer to her words. "Understatement of the century!" He mouthed bowing his head and closing his eyes like he was collecting his thoughts. "He was an alcoholic, he literally drank his mere salary and my mother had to balance between two jobs to get enough money to have food on our plates and to live. His favorite sport was beating my mother and me with no mercy. I still remember the first time he hit me, I was barely three years old and he punched me in the stomach… I couldn't understand why he did it, I thought I'd been a bad boy, that I did something I shouldn't. He told me I was useless, that I was a pathetic whiny baby, that I was the worst mistake of his life." He was trying not to cry, but he couldn't hold the tears anymore. He had kept all of these memories bottled inside for too long, it was time to relieve himself of this burden and surprisingly it was easy doing it with her. "I don't know how many times my mum and I ended up at the ER, but we couldn't say the truth or he would make us pay, so we simply lied. All the times… One day I came home from school, proud of an essay I wrote, I wanted mum to read it and be proud of me, but he took it from my hands and burnt it! He said that writing was something women do, then he took out his belt and beat me unconscious to teach me a lesson, to straighten me up."

Kensi couldn't believe that a father could treat his own child so horribly. Without thinking, she took his hand in hers, a bit surprised when he didn't try to get rid of her touch.

"Ray's father was not that much better at the time, just a little less ready to use his hands, so he knew exactly what I was going through. One day he came to me and gave me a gun. At first I didn't want it, I was scared of it, but then he convinced me to take it. Well, I will thank him for the rest of my life for that because one night, it was Thanksgiving, my father came home, even drunker than usual and angrier because he lost some money at poker. To relieve his frustration, he started punching and kicking my mum and then when he had enough of her, he came to me. I tried to defend myself and her, but he was too strong and I was hurt, in pain. I don't know what came to him that night, maybe I shouted back at him, maybe I reacted to him, I… I truly don't know but he got so mad that he took out a shotgun…" Deeks was a river in flood, talking like he never did. He felt comfortable enough to do it so he went on. "He pointed it at my mum, who was lying on the floor, while he was yelling obscenities at her and at me. I… was terrified and I only wanted to make him stop, to save my mum, so I grabbed the gun Ray gave me and that I hid under my bed and I… I shot him."

At this point Kensi had tears copiously rolling down her cheek, horrified by the story she just heard. Her throat was so dry that she couldn't say a single word, but she continued holding his hand, even tighter than before.

"Kensi, I shot my father… my own father, what kind of monster I am?" He asked, looking at her with his eyes filled with sorrow and a deep sadness.

"No, you're not a monster. You… you saved your mother and yourself, you're very brave." Keeping her courage with two hands, she gently caressed his hair, moving his golden locks away from his forehead. "You did what you needed to do to survive… man, Deeks, you were eleven!"

Her kind and soft touch moved him and something inside of him melted. He felt a warm feeling engulfing his heart, a sensation new to him. "Do you really think that? You're not saying it because… well, I don't know…. Because…"

She silenced him, putting a finger on his lips. "I truly believe it. I can't even imagine how it has been for you having that kind of childhood, but trust me, I don't think I would have had the strength to react as you did. It took a lot of courage and strength to do it… and you did it, you survived."

Deeks felt a lump forming in his throat and a shiver ran down his spine as he looked at Kensi's eyes. She had a strange effect on him, he had never felt so comfortable around anyone, well, maybe with the exception of Ray, but he was his best friend, his brother. Kensi… Kensi was different. She was special.

She sensed him staring at her and a sense of uneasiness caught her. There was something in Marty's eyes, in his whole figure, in the way he looked at her, that put her on edge but at the same time she was intrigued, attracted in a way that had never happened to her. "What happened next?" She asked, trying to shake herself from this weird feeling.

Deeks smiled lightly, like he understood what was going through her mind. "I don't remember much because I was in shock. I know that my mum and I were taken to the hospital, that cops came and questioned me, but the first real memory I had after that night is walking out of the hospital with a woman working for social services. She took me to a house with other _troubled_ kids, as she called us, and I was there until my mum was good enough to take me home."

"How long did you stay there?" Kensi didn't want to hurt him with her questions, but she needed to know.

"Three months... mum was very messed up, they said she needed some... support." The sadness in his voice was simply overwhelming.

"And... what about your father?" She wondered, voicing what was going through her mind. "Did you..."

"Kill him? No, I... I just hit him on his side, nothing more than a flesh wound. He was... he was lucky that I had never shot a gun before and that my hand was shaking badly," he whispered, with a hint of regret making his voice tremble. "The cops questioned me, but they soon realized that it was... self-defense. I was terrified when they asked me about the gun, I didn't want to get Ray in trouble... but I was lucky because my father's shotgun was not registered so they thought that the gun was his as well." Deeks paused taking a long deep breath and passing his hand through his blond hair. "He... he was sent to jail and he got a seven years sentence for spouse and child abuse. I... I haven't heard about him since that day."

Kensi was sure to read something between the lines, a sense of defeat, of disappointment, something she could not place. "Hey, I understand, really..."

"What, what do you understand? You can't Kensi, you simply can't! Your father was perfect, the man who taught you everything, who gave you everything you needed and everything a father should give his kids. My father... he.. he tried to kill me, he despised me, hated me. Do you have the slightest idea of what that meant to me? But you know what? You know what I hate the most about all of this? That I can't hate him, that every time I think about him, I still hope that this was just a bad dream, that it was all my fault, that I just drove him so mad to behave like that... that I was a bad son, that I didn't respect him enough so he simply snapped... I..." His voice cracked as other tears signed his tired face. "I... still need to love him, I need him to love me because he's my father and in spite of everything he did to me, to my mum, I... miss him. How can I miss someone like him? How can I miss someone who made my childhood a living hell? I... sometimes I still go to bed covering my head with the sheets, hiding behind them for the fear that he might come back. Some other times I hide in my closet, because I can feel his presence, his smell, that freaking stench of alcohol, tobacco, and sweat, I..."

Without any warning, Kensi dragged him towards her, allowing his head to lay on her shoulder. She held him tightly, as he cried himself out, shaking and trembling. "It's ok, Deeks, it's ok. It's over and he won't be able to hurt you anymore. You're safe..."

Deeks cried and sobbed until there were no tears anymore, until his breath evened and his heartbeat calmed down. Ashamed of himself, he lifted his head, wiping away the tears and staring straight at Kensi's mismatched eyes, losing himself in their kindness, their support, their gentleness. "I... I am sorry..."

"Hey, there's no need. Everyone needs someone once in a while." She told him, smiling and gently caressing his flushed face because of all the tears.

"Why, Kensi? Why are you here? Why are you so kind with me? I... I am a bad kid. I'm rotten and broken. I don't want you to be hurt because of me, of who I am... of what I am."

His words were said with a mellow tone that almost broke her heart. Kensi had never heard so much sadness, so much resignation in anyone's voice. "I am not afraid of you. I know you will never hurt me..."

A bitter and sad smile curled his lips. "I... I wish I could be as sure as you are. I..."

"Sshhhtt," she silenced him again. "I trust you, you should start doing the same."

"Trust you?" Deeks lifted his eyebrows skeptically, not sure where this conversation was going.

"No, well... that too, but you should start trusting yourself." Her eyes went deep into his, reaching his soul. "We... we don't know each other that well, but I know you're not what you want the others to see. You're more than that, I can feel it and believe me, I am never wrong."

"Presumptuous much?" He joked. His eyes sparkled for the first time since this whole conversation had started.

"Maybe, but mostly, I can read people and I don't see anything bad in you." She caressed his face, moving her fingers through his hair then. "I... you're a good person, Marty Deeks, who pretends to be bad so people keep you at arm's length and you don't have to deal with them. Your eyes can't lie though... and you know the saying, eyes are the mirror of the soul."

Marty bit his lip, feeling for the first time naked in front of someone. It was like Kensi could read him like an open book, that she could touch his soul, making him feel better. "So... you like my eyes..." He muttered, grinning, but his eyes were still full of hurt and pain.

She appreciated his effort. She couldn't even imagine what living with such a burden on his shoulder meant to him. It was like he had to work hard proving himself to the rest of the world and mostly to himself, but sadly sometimes he couldn't make it, drowning in his fears and horrific memories. "I can see why girls fall for your baby blues... and fluffy hair."

"Girls? Not you?"

Instinctively, she moved towards him and placed a chaste kiss on his cheek. "What I... I like the most what's behind those baby blues." She got up abruptly, a bit embarrassed by what she unexpectedly did. "I... I better go now. I can't miss the whole day or my mum would go crazy and Miss Lange won't be very pleased with me."

Deeks was still too shocked by what had just happened and he watched her walk away, caressing his cheek right where her soft and silky lips had brushed his face.

"So, are you coming?" She asked in distance, without turning to look at him.

"I'm... I'm coming..." He murmured, getting up from the beach and rushing to follow her. He didn't know why, but he had the feeling that this had been one of the most important moments of his entire life and that life didn't suck completely, maybe there was still hope even for someone like him, someone so broken and complicated as he was. A big smile brightened his whole expression as he caught up with her and he walked side by side with Kensi.


	3. Chapter 3

Thanks for reading and big thanks to purecraziness for her hard work.

* * *

Chapter 3

Ray was pacing nervously in the backyard of the school after he had snuck outside during a very boring math lesson. He knew that if Marty was going to come back to school, he would use the hidden passage through the fence they used hundreds of times.

He was attempting to light a cigarette when he saw a couple of figures emerging from the passage.

"Marty!" He almost yelled rushing to greet his friend. It took him just one look at his _little brother_ to notice that he had a very rough time. Kensi didn't look much better. "Hey, are you… are you good?"

Deeks turned to face Kensi, nodding gratefully. "Yeah, I'm good."

Ray raised his eyebrow skeptically, not very convinced by the short answer. "Marty, don't lie to me, you know you can't fool me!"

Marty sighed heavily. "Ok, I've been better, but I'm… good. I'm good now." Once again his gaze moved to the gorgeous brunette at his side who couldn't do anything else other than blush.

The older boy rolled his eyes before saying. "I told Miss Lange that Kensi was not feeling very well and that you went to buy her medicine."

"And she believed it?" Deeks was a bit perplexed.

"Well, she said that every excuse is good for you to sneak out of the school and to miss a couple of lessons."

"Obviously I had to be the one sneaking out. You should have reversed the roles for once! Why do I have always to be the lazy-ass, the one who causes trouble? I have already a stellar reputation… if you put fuel into the fire…" Deeks protested moving towards his friend, hugging him. "Thank you, brother."

"You're welcome little brother, but maybe it's time for you to go back to the classroom." Ray muttered, breaking the embrace.

Marty nodded gratefully and walked away leaving his two friends alone.

"So… how did it go?" Martindale asked seriously.

Kensi watched Deeks walk into the building and her expression saddened. "It was… rough." She paused, biting her lip. "How… how did he survive all of that? I mean he told me that your dad…"

Ray closed his eyes, shaking his head. "Look, my father is a bastard, as much as Marty's was. Trust me, I wouldn't hesitate to do exactly the same if I had found myself in the same situation."

She intently observed the older boy who had never been as serious as he was in this moment. "I am a thug and a patented idiot, I am sure that I will end up doing something so stupid that it will put me in real trouble sooner or later… but Marty is… he's different. He is smart, he's intelligent. He has a bright future in front of him and I don't want him to waste it hanging out with someone like me." He swallowed hard, hoping that Kensi got what he was telling her and mostly that he was telling this for his friend's sake. "That boy is the most loyal, caring, and at the same time, stubborn person I have ever met. He's got a big heart, but he's too afraid that one day he will become like his father." Martindale was looking at his feet aware of the weight of his words. "Listen he… he will never start taking care of himself because he sticks around me. I saw the way he looks at you. I saw how he is when you're around him… Help him, please. Give him a reason to do something for himself."

Kensi was surprised and a bit shocked. She never expected that someone like Ray Martindale had in him something like this, some deep feelings. "You truly care about him…" she simply murmured.

"Marty is the best thing that has ever happened to me and I only want the best for him."

She fell silent, processing what she had just heard. "You're important to him too, you know that, don't you?"

"I am a bad influence and I am ready to step away and disappear from his life if this will help him to have a better life…" A sad smile curled the boy's lips.

"You didn't answer my question," Kensi told him, ignoring his last comment.

"What question?" Ray frowned, perplexed.

"How did he survive all of this? How did you survive?"

The boy chuckled ironically. "I… I don't know. Marty is stronger than he looks and I don't mean physically. I am not saying that the whole situation didn't touch him, I am just saying that he found his way to cope. His wit, his humor… they come from that. He uses them to protect himself, to go on. Trust me, it took a lot of strength to do it."

Kensi reflected on his words and started to understand something more about Marty Deeks. "You know Ray, you shouldn't sell yourself so short. You're not a bad person deep down. You have to work a little on the outside, but all in all, you're not bad at all."

Ray laughed out loud, scratching the back of his head. "You got the wrong impression about me. I am a bad boy." He was still smiling, but his blue eyes were very serious.

Kensi was about to reply when Deeks' head peeked out. "Hey, you two, what the hell are you waiting on? Come on, let's get inside!"

Ray cast a glance at the girl next to him, nodding. "Come on, don't let him wait. He gets very annoying when he has to wait too long."

"Anything I should know?" Marty asked him as the two on them walked inside.

"Everything is good, Marty. I was just… well…" Martindale hesitated, looking at his friend intently. "She's good, brother. Don't be an idiot this time…"

"An idiot? Really? I don't have to remind you that you're the idiot! I am the stupid one, remember?"

"Oh shut up, Marty! I am serious here… for once!"

Deeks was taken by surprise , he never expected his friend to react like this. "Ray, I…"

Ray grabbed him by his arm, blue eyes met blue eyes. "Marty, I am not joking. You are far from being an idiot or stupid. You should stop hanging out with me and start being with good people. You won't go anywhere if you're around me."

"Well, maybe I don't have any intention of going anywhere without you… we're brothers, always and forever." It was Marty's time to be serious.

"Marty…"

"Don't play the Marty card on me Ray. I… you're my best friend, my brother. You're the person who knows all of my secrets, who knows the real me. If we go down, we go down together." Deeks played nervously with his tongue, an instinctive gesture he usually did when he was deadly serious and concentrated.

"Oh damn it!" Without any warning, Ray hugged his friend. "You're too damn good for me, Marty… I only want the best for you."

"So shut up and don't say nonsense anymore, ok?" Marty pulled away from the embrace, locking his gaze on the older boy's.

"Oh hell! Let's go back to lessons!"

Kensi was just a few feet behind and had observed the whole scene. She was a bit envious of the bond Ray and Deeks shared since she never experienced anything as strong, not even with Nell, her best friend. After today though, she had felt that something had changed. The way Marty had opened up to her had seemed so natural, so spontaneous. They had connected, clicked, and she found herself wanting more. "Oh come on, don't be silly. It's Marty Deeks, first class asshole! You can't fall for him" she remembered the way he had stared at her, with his ocean blue eyes full of sadness and her heart had skipped a beat. "Damn it!" She cursed. "I really am falling for him!"

* * *

During lunch break, Deeks didn't feel like going to the mess hall, he was not inclined to meeting people, so he simply walked outside to find a bench away from unforeseen eyes.

Kensi saw him sitting all alone with his eyes lost in the sky, so she collected a couple of sandwiches and headed outside. She was stepping through the door when she felt her arm being grabbed from behind. She was ready to turn around and hit whoever was holding her, when a calm voice finally spoke.

"Hey, easy there tiger! I come in peace." Callen told her, smiling gently.

She was surprised to see the new boy standing in front of her and mostly talking to her. She had seen him briefly the previous day outside Miss Lange's office and later that morning with Sam. Actually, they hadn't even been introduced yet.

"Sorry, I wanted to call you, but I didn't remember your name," the boy said as his blue eyes brightened up his whole expression. "I'm G Callen, by the way, and I am a friend of Deeks."

Kensi frowned, for sure he had a strange name, but she didn't question him about. It was probably not the right moment. "Hi, I'm Kensi… Blye. Kensi Blye."

"Oh yes, right, Sam talked about you." Callen smiled embarrassed but glad that she didn't bring up the weirdness of his name or lack of actually.

"Listen, I am glad to meet you, but I was…" Kensi couldn't finish the sentence because the boy interrupted her.

"I know and actually I was going to ask you if I… if I can talk to Deeks alone." He realized that his request seemed creepier than it was supposed to be, so he added immediately. "No, it's not anything weird. I… I only would like to talk to him about what happened this morning."

The frown on her face grew wider and she crossed her arms on her chest, feeling extremely protective towards Deeks. "And what exactly do you want to discuss with him?"

"Wow, who are you? His personal assistant? Or bodyguard?" Callen remarked cunningly.

"Hey, cheeky boy! I don't think he likes to talk about what happened this morning."

The boy's expression darkened as he came closer to her. "Look, I got it. You want to be a good friend, but believe me, I don't want him to be hurt or the bad memories to surface in his mind. It's just that I have an idea of what he's going through and I only want to tell him that if he needed someone else to talk to, I'd be here for him."

Kensi studied Callen's face and the only things she could see were worry and honesty. "Ok, but please, call me if you… if you two need anything. I'll be… right here."

The older boy nodded at her, smiling kindly. "Don't worry, I'm not interested in him!" His words were said with a smirk on his lips.

The tall girl was taken by surprise and for a long moment, she didn't know what to say, how to reply to the statement. "I am no… I mean he is…"

"Hey, I'm not here to judge, but trust me, it's obvious." With that, Callen turned around and started walking towards Deeks without giving Kensi any chance to make a remark.

As soon as he approached the other boy, he could have a better look of his face, of his dark expression, of his lost eyes. "Hey, do you mind if I take a seat?" He asked politely.

"Place is not taken, it's all yours." Deeks replied without even looking at the other boy.

Callen sat on the bench trying to find a way to start the conversation. He had told Kensi that he wanted Marty to know that he was there if he needed it, but as soon as he found himself here, so close to the blond boy, made things more complicated and not as easy as he imagined at first. Taking a long deep breath, he cast a furtive look at Deeks who seemed lost in his world.

Callen closed his eyes and finally talked. "The Harrington's are not my first foster family. I've been in the system since I was five. Some of them were like the Harrington's, they were nice, but others…" he pause, swallowing hard. "I was with a family once, the father was not a very nice person. He liked to teach lessons in a very hard way. Let's say that he truly enjoyed using his fists more than his words…"

Deeks' attention was definitively caught, but he didn't say anything. He simply lifted his eyebrows.

"At least, I was not forced to stay there too long. They moved me, pretty quickly." Callen's lips curled into a smirk.

"What happened?" Marty asked with a good dose of curiosity and with a frown.

"Social services thought that the old man and I were not a good match…" The older boy said, looking at Deeks' blue eyes intently. "…especially after I hit him with a baseball bat when he tried to punch me again."

For a moment, silence and understanding fell between them until Deeks started to chuckle immediately followed by Callen. The chuckles slowly escalated and became fat laughs.

They laughed so hard that they caught other people's attention, but they didn't care at all. And they continued laughing.

"Man, this was good," Marty affirmed a few minutes later leaning against the back seat of the bench.

"What's good?" The older boy wondered.

"Laughing, I needed it." Deeks' expression became serious. "Thank you, for this… for sharing your experience with me, for…"

"Hey, I thought you could use the opinion of someone who… who knows a thing or two about having a bad dad role model…" G moved his stare in front of him. "Listen, I'm not Ray, I see the bond you two share, and I'm not Kensi either, but if you need someone to talk to, just know that you can count on me."

Marty was touched by the other boy's words, finally understanding the strange feeling, the connection he sensed since the very first time he talked to Callen. "I appreciate it and…" Suddenly realization of what the other boy had just told him, hit him like a tornado. "What does it mean that you're not Kensi? What about her?"

"Don't be an idiot, Deeks! I probably don't have a busy social life, but I'm not blind. I saw the way you look at her and I saw the way she looks at you. She was pretty protective towards you. Actually, I had a hard time trying to convince her to let me talk to you. She was headed here and she wanted to be here for you…" Callen winked cunningly.

Deeks smiled embarrassed before saying. "Well, she is more attractive than you are, no offense…"

"None taken!"

"But between you and Ray, well.. it's a tough match to know who's the ugliest!" Marty stated, grinning happily. He was finally starting to get back in his usual good mood and witty self. Talking to Callen really helped him, more than he expected.

"What? Are you serious?" G made a disgusted expression, shaking his head.

"Thank you, for real." Deeks offered his hand to shake, in sign of gratitude.

"You're welcome." The older boy held it tightly as his blue eyes met Marty's. "But don't think that I am dropping the subject just because we shook hands like good friends!"

"What subject?"

"Kensi."

Deeks took a long intake of breath, lifting his eyes to the sunny sky. "She is a friend," he chuckled at his own words and at the irony of them. "Well, it sounds strange because I never talked to her until two days ago, but… but she helped me and I found myself at ease with her."

"Trust me, she's stuck on you, smitten… whatever…"

Marty made a confused face, not understanding what his friend wanted to tell him.

"Oh come on Deeks, don't play dumb! You two have a thing! It's so damn obvious!"

"No, there's no thing." Deeks repeated mechanically, without sounding very convincing.

"Ignore it if you can, but trust me, everyone else can see it." Callen was getting up, ready to go back inside when a small figure showed up in front of them, startling them both. "Gentlemen…"

"Miss Lange, good morning." Callen greeted her, feeling a bit uneasy because of her scrutinizing stare.

"Mr. Callen, I see that you're starting to fit in at this school. Just be careful of the people you hang out with." Hetty smiled but her words were sharp like a razor. "Now, if you excuse me, I have some matters to discuss with Mr. Deeks."

Deeks bowed his head heavily. He didn't like this, not a single bit. If Miss Lange wanted to talk about what happened this morning and about the punch, he was in serious trouble.

He cast a glance at his friend, nodding. "It's ok, Callen. Miss Lange and I will have a lot of fun talking about my charming personality." He was smiling but the smile didn't reach his eyes.

His friend studied his expression, his face, and was aware of how worried Marty was. There was a hint of fear in his ocean blue eyes, something that he never saw before and that worried him. "Ok, see you later." Reluctantly, Callen left while a sense of dread lingering around him.

As soon as Callen was out of reach, Deeks smirked. "So, what do you want to talk about?"

"Not here, Mr. Deeks." Hetty's face was grave and too serious. "My office. Now!" She turned on her heels and headed inside.

Marty watched her leave and sighed. "Damn it! I am so screwed!"

Knowing that it was better if he helped his cause a little by not making her wait too long, Deeks followed the principal immediately as his heart started beating madly in his chest. "This is not good, not good at all…"

* * *

"So, Mr. Deeks, are you going to tell me what happened this morning?" Hetty asked, intently studying the boy in front of her with a scrutinizing and knowing glance.

"Nothing happened… nothing serious at least." Deeks gave her one of his charming smiles but it didn't seem to work because she was truly unimpressed. "Look, it was just a little exchange of opinions, nothing more than that. It happens every day. People can have a little argument because of a misunderstanding."

"So you call punching Mr. Hanna a misunderstanding?" Her expression hardened and her eyes narrowed. "The use of violence is highly forbidden in this school, Mr. Deeks, you should know it very well."

"But it's not what it looked like. It was just…"

"Enough!" Miss Lange raised her voice a little. "I am tired of your excuses, Mr. Deeks. I've been patient with you due to your particular situation, but now it's really too much. It's time to take some measures."

Deeks' blood froze for a moment. His situation was going from bad to worse, too quickly. "I can apologize if that is what you want me to do or I can go to detention for the rest of the month…"

"What you did was really serious and unacceptable, Mr. Deeks, so I need to take a serious disciplinary action. I can't tolerate your behavior anymore."

"No, wait, Miss Lange, there's no need. I told you that everything is ok and that no damage was done. I will apologize. I…" Marty was really starting to worry. He felt that things were going to be really bad for him. He could read it on the principal's expression.

"Mr. Deeks, I warmly advise you to stop talking because I am not going to change my mind and you're simply making a fool of yourself!" Miss Lange had a very grave face and she seemed ready to incinerate the boy with a single look. "You're suspended, for five days!"

"Suspended?" Deeks' expression was a mix of disappointment and relief.

"Yes, this is the paper I want you to make your mother sign and I want to have a meeting with her to discuss your situation which is far from rosy, if you haven't noticed."

"No! Please, can you leave my mother out of this?" The kid was now sweating as he tried to convince the diminutive woman not to involve his mother. "She is… she's not going through a nice period and she is super busy, doing two different jobs to keep us going." He paused, giving Miss Lange an intense stare. "Please, she doesn't need this… I fear that the little bit of stability she finally created can go to pieces. Please, do whatever you need to do with me, but leave her out…"

Hetty was conflicted. She truly needed to make Mrs. Deeks aware of the problems her son was having and mostly was creating, but on the other hand, she knew what the poor woman had gone through and sincerely she didn't need more drama. The principal took a long deep breath and, taking her glasses away for a moment to pass her hand over her face, she finally spoke. "Make her sign those papers. I can give you another chance before contacting her personally."

Deeks sighed in relief, releasing the breath he was holding and, closed his eyes. "Thank you, Miss Lange."

"I want you to know that this is an exception and I won't be so magnanimous in the future." Hetty cast a scolding glance at the boy, looking at him with hard expression. "The suspension is effective immediately, so I suggest you go home, to reflect on your actions and it wouldn't be bad if you studied a little bit. No one ever died from too much studying." A creepy smile curled her lips as she talked.

Marty nodded gravely and, resigned to his fate, got up and moved towards the door. "Can you do me a favor?"

"If I can…"

"Do you mind telling Kensi… Miss Blye, what happened?" He grinned in anticipation of what he was going to say. "That girl fell for my charming personality." He smirked like an idiot, but became serious when Miss Lange simply lifted her eyebrows, skeptically. "I… I don't want her to worry, that's it." He added without a hint of irony anymore.

The principal for a moment remained still, simply looking at him, as she was trying to read behind his words, to see if he was honest and sincere. Satisfied by what she saw, she tilted her head to one side, smiling. "Don't worry, I will tell her myself."

"Thank you." Without adding anything else, he opened the door and left.

Hetty inhaled deeply. She didn't like taking this kind of measures, but sometimes they were necessary. No matter how smart Mr. Deeks was, he needed to learn how to behave. Shaking her head, she sighed. "Use this time off to straighten your life, Mr. Deeks. Soon I won't be able to protect you from yourself anymore." She picked up a folder and started working on it.


	4. Chapter 4

Thanks for reading and as always thanks to purecraziness for her hard work but mostly, for bearing with me.

* * *

Chapter 4

The beach was crowded with people at that time of the day, when the sun was about to set and it wasn't as hot as it had been during the day. There were a lot of families enjoying their time, young kids playing with the sand showing proudly their sand-castles to their parents. Older kids were playing with a ball or with tennis rackets, laughing loudly. There were surfers in the water, but soon they would quit because the waves were not that good anymore.

"You know you can join them there, kid, this place is quiet today. I can manage it all alone." Joey Bradbury, the owner of The Surfing Paradise, one of the hundreds of surf shops facing the beach, told to his young employee who was staring at the ocean with avid eyes.

"Nah, it's ok Joey. Waves are not that great and you pay me to work, not to sneak out a couple of hour in advance."

"Oh come on, Marty. You work hard here. It's been two years and you never let me down once. I won't get mad if you skip a couple of hours." Joey placed his hands on Deeks' shoulders, in fatherly way. He was happy that the boy didn't flinch anymore at his touch as much as he did when he started working at his shop. He knew some bits of the kid's life, of his past, and frankly, he could understand him. Marty went through a real hell and was slowly leaving it behind his shoulders.

"Thanks Joey, but I finish here and then I go home trying to study a little. I can't be too much behind when I go back to school." Deeks said, scratching the back of his head. He had explained everything to the shop owner who was one of the few adults he truly and openly trusted. He had helped him when he needed it the most and had always been a good friend.

"It was stupid, Marty. You shouldn't have hit the other kid!" Bradbury scolded him, like only someone who cared could do. And Joey truly cared about Marty, seeing him like a putative son. "Look at what you got! A suspension that will influence your academic career, your grades. Marty what about your dream? If you really want to become a lawyer, you can't do this kind of idiocies!"

Deeks felt a bit uneasy because of the shop owner's words. His dream was really to become a lawyer, but at this point, he knew it would remain just a dream; not because of the punch or of the suspension, but because of his general situation and because of the direction his life had taken. "I will never be a lawyer, that was just a stupid dream of a kid. If I'll be lucky I will finish high school and find a crappy job, but more probably, Ray and I will end up in jail or worse…" There was a lot of bitterness and sadness in his voice. He was resigned to his fate. "Nothing good happens to someone like me. I have always been useless and I won't stop being it now."

"Don't you dare talk like this young man! You are not allowed to give up on your life!" Joey was pointing his finger at Marty's chest, threateningly. "And you are far from being useless!"

"Oh well, my father did a good job convincing me on the contrary and I did a very good job myself acting like he was right."

"Damn it, Marty! You're smart, you have a quick mind, you remember things… look at what you do here. You remember all the price tags by word, you know all the names of the articles or of the suppliers. I can't do it and I have been working in my shop since I was eight!" Bradbury paused hoping to see a hint of acknowledgment from the kid. "With the right instruction and with the right amount of effort, you'll become a great lawyer. I am sure of it and you can't do anything to convince me otherwise."

Deeks was touched by the older man's confidence in him. No one ever granted this to him. "You give me too much credit. I'm just another idiot… nothing more than this."

"An idiot? Are you serious? Trust me, I would like to be an idiot as much as you are!" Joey was trying hard to convince the kid of his value, of his worth, but it wasn't easy. It was clear that Marty had never been supported by anyone in his young life and this weighed like a stone on his self-esteem, that sadly, was extremely low, close to zero. In spite of his reckless behavior, of his wit, the boy only wanted to be understood, to be loved without being pitied.

Deeks was going to reply when the door of the shop opened and the doorbell chimed. He turned around to see how he could help the customer and froze in surprise. "What… what are you doing here? And mostly, how did you find me? I swear if Ray said something, I am going to kill him!"

"No, no need to kill your best friend." Sam replied attempting a hint of a smile. " I was talking to Nell and to her friend Eric and he told me that he knew you worked here."

"Yeah, he's a surfer and he showed up here more than once. Well at least I don't have to skin Ray alive, this time…" A little grin curled Marty's lips, before he became serious again. "What are you doing here?"

The big boy bowed his head, a bit ashamed. "I… I wanted to apologize."

"Apo… apologize? You? I punched you, I should be the one apologizing…"

"Deeks, shut up, for once, ok?" Sam silenced him, placing the palm of his hand on the other boy's chest. "I was out of line, I shouldn't have attacked you without knowing the entire story. Look, I… I made a mistake, I judged you only by something I heard and I didn't even give you time to explain yourself. You should have seen how Ray, then Callen and Kensi in the end, scolded me for what I told you. I was an idiot." He paused feeling Deeks' scrutinizing glare on him, that made him very uneasy. "I made the big mistake to judge you because of your hair, because of how you dress…. Without taking the time to understand why you behave like you do. I made the mistake my father always tells me not to do. I judged you by the cover, without reading the book, but trust me, it won't happen again."

Marty couldn't believe that he was hearing those words coming from the other boy. They were probably polar opposites, two different people probably didn't exist on the face of the Earth. Sam was a Marine brat, serious, focused, always following the rules. Deeks was never serious, always joking, he came from a complicated family and had done a lot of stupid things. "I know where you come from, I know that I have a reputation that is far from stellar. I probably deserved what you told me or at least part of the things you told me."

The bigger boy frowned, shocked by those words. How could Deeks say that? "No, you didn't deserve it. I accused you of something you couldn't avoid doing. You've been brave, probably in your shoes, I wouldn't be able to do what you did. It took a lot of courage to do what you did…"

"I hope you will never get to that point." Marty's eyes veiled and a little shake made him shiver. "And well, I can't be brave since I am useless…" Again, there was a lot of sadness in his voice, a deep sorrow that he tried to mask with a smile, but his eyes couldn't lie.

Sam realized for the first time that when he acted like a bad boy, Deeks was wearing a mask, hiding his inner feelings behind it. For the first time he could see Marty without it, a boy who saw too many bad things, who lived too many experiences that had left him broken and in need of understanding and love. Marty Deeks in this moment was not the street thug Sam thought he was. He was a simple boy who needed certainties and support instead. "Look, I know that you and I will never be best friends, but what if I offer you something to drink or to eat when you're done with work?"

Deeks couldn't hide his surprise at the other boy's request. He never expected it. He tried to read Sam's expression, to see if he was joking with his feelings, but what he found was pure sincerity. "I never thought I hear these words coming from you," he muttered a bit ashamed.

"So, is it a yes?" The bigger boy asked, almost ignoring the last remark.

"Listen, Sam, I have to work and..."

Marty was still talking when Joey's voice interrupted him. "As I said Marty, I can handle the shop for a couple of hours without you." The shop owner told him, winking amused. He knew that his young employee needed this and he was making sure that the boy didn't miss his chance.

"But Joey, I..."

Joey placed his hands on Deeks' shoulders, looking at him straight in his blue eyes. "I said it's ok. I got it from here. Go, have fun. Ok?"

Marty sighed heavily, feeling a bit concerned, the he turned to face Sam, watching him, nodding satisfied.

"Come on Deeks, it's just a drink!" The big kid said.

Deeks cast him a cunning stare. "Beer?" He wondered a bit amused.

"Beer? Are you crazy? Don't you know that we are both too young to drink?" As the words left his mouth, Sam realized he had been played, so he chuckled, shaking his head. "Well played, Deeks. Well played..."

Marty lifted his eyebrows triumphantly. He looked for Joey's approval and then nodded thankfully. "Ok then, I know a nice place, not far from here, what do you think if we call the others so we can have an apologizing party? I think I made a scene in front of them."

"You and me both, Deeks." Sam added grateful for the suggestion. It would be less awkward if the others would be there with them. "And ok, I call Callen, you can call Kensi... and even Ray..." It cost him to do that. Martindale was one of the people he truly couldn't stand, but it was a nice gesture to show the other boy his good intentions.

Deeks stared at the older boy intently, then smiled gently. "Ok, it sounds like a plan. Joey are you sure that..."

"Don't let me kick your ass kid! Out of here, now!" The shop owner interrupted him. He observed the two boys leave the shop, sighing in relief. Marty needed this, needed normality, needed to spend time with other kids. Joey enjoyed having him around, but the boy needed some free time, he needed to be just a teenager, not the boy grown up too quickly he usually was. "Have fun, kid, just have fun."

* * *

Callen walked along the crowded street, headed to school. It had been three months since he came to live with the Harringtons and was surprised of how good things were going.

Kevin and Jo-Ann, his foster parents, were really nice people, probably the nicest he had ever come across. They genuinely cared for him, asking him questions about school and his days in general. They never forgot to ask his opinions on every subject and on every choice they had to make. For the first time in his whole life, he felt considered.

Jennifer, the Harringtons' daughter, was three years older than him and was in college, but she came home as much as she could and she treated Callen as a real brother. They got along very well, laughing and talking non-stop. It was finally like having a normal life, something he never had.

He was afraid that soon someone might come and take him away from all of this, but his foster parents assured him that they were determined to keep him with them until he reached legal age and even after that moment, when no one had any right on him anymore, he would be free to stay with them if he desired.

It had been a shock hearing those words, feeling like he truly belonged this time.

Things at school had settled nicely as well. Sam had slowly become his best friend and Callen had even told the other boy details of his past no one knew. After the first bumpy moments, they spent some time with Kensi and Deeks.

Sam and Marty's relationship was still a bit edgy since they were more different than day and night, but at least, they were trying to be civil to each other.

The group of friends also comprehended Nell, who was Kensi's best friend, Eric who was like a brother for the petite redheaded girl, and Ray, mostly because he and Deeks were too close to be divided.

Kensi and Marty were not a couple, but everyone was aware of the attraction, of the tight bond they were developing and that, sooner or later, they would become more than friends. The excuse of the tutoring gave them extra chances to spend some time alone. For sure, it was doing Deeks, and to a certain extent to Ray as well, very good, since they had been called to the principal's office only once in the last month and probably, it was not entirely their fault that time.

All in all, things were going very well for Callen, better than ever, but as always, all good things came to an end.

That morning, he was a bit early because it was his turn to buy some breakfast for his friends. It had become a tradition that they had something to eat together before going to school. Kensi was the happiest person in the whole world because she had the chance to have fresh donuts every day. That girl had a serious addiction to everything sugary and how she kept herself in such a good shape, was still a mystery.

He was almost in front of the usual bakery he hit to get what his friends needed, when he was approached by a group of older boys. There were at least six of them and they seemed very intimidating in their leather jackets and black bandanas.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" One of the boys said placing himself right in front of Callen, blocking his way.

"Hey, look, I don't want any problem, ok?" G told them, trying to walk away from the other guys. "I just want to get some breakfast for my friends and go to school." A growing feeling of anxiety clenched his stomach when he noticed the grins on the boys' face.

"I fear that your friends are not going to get anything because you're going to give us your money and your phone!" The leader of the gang told him, placing a hand on Callens' chest.

"Not going to happen." G's blue eyes sparkled with determination. He was not going to give up his money so easily.

"My friends here have another idea. We're so craving for some breakfast…" The leader insisted stepping even closer, immediately imitated by his buddies.

"So why don't you go inside the bakery, buy your pastries and get lost?" Callen knew that challenging them, he was running a lot of risks. His eyes scanned the area, noticing how the bad guys had cornered him, pushing him into an alley where no one could see a thing and help him. He swallowed hard realizing that things were worse than he thought at first. He knew too well the sensation of when everything was going to go south. G had been there before, more than once. He always came out of every situation with minor damage, but this time it was different. He was outnumbered and completely hopeless.

"This is your last chance, rat boy! Give us your money and your phone and you can get away from here unscathed." The leader boy's expression hardened and his dark eyes became even darker.

"Go to hell!" Before he finished the sentence, Callen kicked the other guy in his shin and tried to run away, but his escape didn't last too long.

One of the boys grabbed him from behind while another punched him in the stomach first and then on his jaw, making him fall to the ground holding his midsection.

The blows were very heavy but sadly G knew that this was just the beginning.

The leader limped towards him and using all the strength he could manage, he kicked the defenseless boy a couple of times.

"I warned you, pretty boy. Now it's time to regret not accepting my offer!" The leader beckoned to his buddies who put Callen to his feet, holding him steady. "You you're going to regret hitting me!"

A heavy punch reached G's face opening a deep gash on his cheek. Stars danced in front of his eyes as the pain exploded in his pounding head, blinding him for a few moments. "You're just a coward, a fucking coward who is nothing without his buddies! And you punch like a girl!"

Another blow split Callen's lip and he tasted blood in his mouth. Uncaring of the consequences, he spat on the leader's boots.

A devilish grin curled the other boy's lips. "You just wrote your own death sentence, pretty boy!" With a quick gesture, he signaled to his friends to come closer. He stepped back, just observing the scene, still smiling. "Guys, he's all yours."

These were the last words Callen heard before the pain exploded in his whole body and before a blissful oblivion engulfed him.

* * *

Sam sprinted inside the hospital as soon as he jumped out of his car. His heart was beating madly in his chest not knowing how his best friend was doing.

Morning had started more or less like every day and he was waiting for Callen to show up with breakfast at the usual spot, but sadly he never did. The rest of their group of friends joined him; they waited until it was too late then went to school. Only Deeks and Ray, used to be always late, decided to wait a little while longer but in the end they had to give up and go to school as well.

At the end of the second hour though, Miss Lange called Sam to let him know why his best friend was so late. The big boy didn't need permission to leave, he simply stormed out of the building, reached his car and drove towards the hospital. And here he was, at the ER, asking the receptionist about Callen.

"I am sorry, but I can't tell you anything if you're not a relative, kid," the old man behind the desk told him.

"Oh hell to that! I only want to know where my friend is!" Sam almost shouted, losing a bit of his usual composure. "Look at that damn computer, for God's sake. His name is G Callen and he's been brought in because some morons used him as a punching bag!" It hurt to say those words about his friend, but he needed to know.

"I have already told you that I can't…"

"Sam?" A weak voice called the boy, interrupting the receptionist's antic.

"Mrs. Harrington!" Sam exclaimed running towards the small woman. "Mrs. Harrington, please tell me. How is he?"

Jo-Ann's eyes tore up and she was on the verge of crying; her behavior worried the boy even more.

"Please, Mrs. Harrington, don't tell me that he…"

"NO! He's alive!" She replied with vehemence, expressing her concern for the boy that had come into their lives and that now meant a lot to her family. "But the doctors had to take him to surgery. Kevin is upstairs with him, well waiting for him… for news and I came here to get some coffee." The woman said, bracing herself, fighting the trembling. Her hands were shaking so badly that she was having a hard time inserting the coin in the coffee machine.

"Please, let me," Sam helped her and collected a cup of coffee, offering it to her. Then swallowing hard, he asked. "What did the doctor say? How is he really doing?"

Jo-Ann took a long deep breath before replying. "They said that he has been beaten very hard. He had a concussion, a broken cheekbone and ribs. He was lucky that none of them punctured his lungs but…" Even if she tried, she couldn't hold the tears. "They said that he had some internal bleeding and that they had to intervene immediately or he… or he could die." It was too much for her and this time she burst out crying.

Sam shivered hearing those words, but he tried not to show it to the crying woman. He passed an arm around her shoulders, comforting her as much as he could. "He will be ok. I am sure of it."

Jo-Ann buried her face in the boy's broad chest, sobbing. "Why attack him? He is such a quiet kid, he never bothered anyone or created any problem, why attack him and hurt him? He never hurt anyone…"

"Did they know who did it?" The boy asked, puzzled. He agreed with the woman. Callen hadn't been around long enough to get himself in trouble. Most of the time, they had been together and G confided a lot of things to him. If he was in trouble, Sam would have probably known about it.

"The officer that talked to us said that probably it was one of the local gang, but they won't know which one until G wakes up and tells them what truly happened." The woman explained collecting herself. She wiped away the tears from her gentle face with a handkerchief, then put on a smile. "Why don't you come with me, waiting for G to get out of the surgery? I am sure that my husband would enjoy the company of another man."

The big boy nodded gratefully. "It will be my pleasure. Can you just give me a moment to send a message to our friends? They are probably dead worried and Principal Lange didn't allow them to get away from school until the day is over."

"Of course, I have to make a call as well, to see if my daughter is on her way." Jo-Ann said.

"She must be really worried, do you want me to go and get her? So she doesn't have to drive…" Sam offered kindly.

"Oh thank you Sam, you're very nice to offer, but Jen just texted me that she is already on her way. She will be here soon." The woman sighed heavily, bracing herself. "I can't believe that we got so attached to him in just such a brief period of time. We fostered other kids in the past, but since day one, we knew G was different. I… I don't know what we'd do if he…"

"Please, don't. Don't go there." The boy stopped her from going on talking and finish what she was saying. "He will be up and running in a blink of an eye."

Jo-Ann took his hand, finding comfort in the gesture. "Yes, he will. He has to."

Two hours later, Sam, the Harrington and Jennifer were still waiting for news on Callen. Suddenly the door of the department opened and five teenagers rushed towards them.

Sam got up immediately, stopping the guys from starting to scream, asking questions.

"How's he doing?" Nell was the first one to talk.

"We still don't know. He's still in surgery. Mrs. Harrington said that the doctors feared that he could have internal bleeding." The big boy told his friends.

"But it's been a while… they should have already told you something." Eric intervened, holding the petite redhead's hand.

"Did they know what happened?" Ray had a very serious expression planted on his face, something very uncommon for him.

"No, the police thinks that a local gang attacked him, but until he wakes up, we won't know for sure." Sam passed a hand on his face and doing so his eyes landed on Deeks who was unusually too quiet and serious. "You ok, Deeks?"

The shaggy haired boy lifted his chin, his blue eyes were troubled and darker than usual. "Am I ok? No, not at all…" Without adding anything, he turned on his heels and left the group.

Everyone was taken aback by his behavior, didn't expect it at all.

Kensi was the first one to react. "I got him…" She said, before running after Marty.

Sam inhaled deeply, scratching his bald head. "Man, what a fucking mess!"


	5. Chapter 5

Once again thank you for reading and a big, BIG thank you to purecraziness for her hard work.

* * *

Chapter 5

The weird group waited another hour in which every one of them tried to find the best and most personal way to kill the time.

Nell and Eric went to the cafeteria every time someone needed something to drink or to eat. Sam simply sat in his chair with a stoic expression painted on his face. Ray continued pacing up and down, talking to himself, but after the first ten minutes, he decided to move away from his friends, especially after Sam threatened to kill him where he stood if he didn't stop mumbling. Kensi was worried, for Callen obviously, but even for Deeks.

Since they arrived at the hospital, he hadn't said more than three words and his face was an unreadable mask, but his eyes were cold and distant, like she had never seen them. His jaw was clenched, tightened, like he was ready to explode.

"Deeks..." Kensi called to him but he didn't even seem to notice, she insisted. "Deeks, hey..."

Nothing.

Ray saw what was happening and approached his _brother_, leaning towards him. "Hey brother, come on, answer me."

Again Deeks didn't even blink, lost in his own world, but Ray was stubborn and had an idea of what was going on inside his best friend's mind. "Oh hell! Come on, you idiot. Marty!" He was ready to slap Deeks' face but he found his hand clenched in a tight vice while a pair of steely blue eyes were looking at him. "About time you came back to us, brother." There was a smile on Martindale's lip, even if his hand was starting to hurt. "What do you think about letting me go?"

Marty released his friend, blinking repeatedly and shaking his head like he was waking up from a dream, then silently, he passed his fingers through his hair, sighing heavily. "Sorry Ray..." He murmured guiltily. "It happened again, didn't it?"

"Hey, it's ok, you know I'm here. It's my mission to keep you in line." Ray winked but there was a soft note in his voice, something that happened only when they were alone. It was the first time he showed it in front of other people.

Kensi observed the exchange between the two friends, realizing once again how close they were and how well they knew each other. They might not be brothers by blood, but they were by life. She made a little gesture to Ray, wanting to know what had just happened to Deeks, but the smaller boy stopped her, signaling that he was going to explain it later, not now.

Marty looked a bit confused, a bit shaken. He stared at his friends and felt ashamed of himself. "I... I need to get some air." Without waiting for a reply, he simply walked away.

Kensi moved to follow him, but Ray held her wrist, stopping her. "Let me go, he needs..."

"Let him be alone for a while. He needs a moment, then I am sure he will come back to you." The boy told her with a quiet voice, so uncommon for him.

She couldn't understand it; Deeks needed her, why couldn't she go after him? "Ray, what the hell just happened?" She finally asked.

Ray looked at her, passing a hand on his face. "Would you mind taking a walk?"

Kensi nodded, not very reassured because if the boy wanted to talk to her alone and not in front of the others it must be something serious. "No problem, let's go."

They walked along the corridor until they found a French window that opened onto a balcony and so they stepped through it. The fresh air of the late afternoon whipped at their faces.

"Kensi, I'm telling you this because I can see how much you care about Marty and how much he cares about you. He is... he's my brother and probably the best thing that's ever happened to me" Ray's serious voice and behavior worried Kensi even more since he was hardly like that. "When Marty shot his father he... well let's say it was very traumatic for him. You see him, he's a chatterbox, a complete idiot, a joker, but this is just a mask he wears. Marty is extremely sensitive and very kind, too kind. He's got this big damn good heart..."

The girl curiously studied him as he talked and was really concerned to see where he was going.

"The moment he pulled the trigger, something broke inside of him and... a part of the old Marty disappeared." Ray took a long deep breath before continuing. "People might say that he is never affected by what's going on around him, but it's a big fucking lie! You should have seen him when he came back from the hospital... because he probably didn't tell you how much his old man beat him that night... obviously. Well when he came home, social services took him to a place, until his mother recovered. We were already best friends and all, so he sneaked out of that house as much as he could to see a familiar face. The problem was that he didn't talk and it took me more than two weeks to get him to say a word. He was like lost in his own world, in his own personal hell."

Kensi was trying to process what she was hearing, but it was not easy because it was extremely painful.

"He had to work a lot on himself and he got better, becoming the boy you know, but sometimes, when something bad happens, well... he zones out, the same way you witnessed today. He hides inside himself, to protect himself. It's not healthy, but it's the only way that keeps him sane." Ray continued. "It's not always easy to shake him from that state. Today was relatively easy, fortunately. Well, that's all. I... I think you deserved to know, in case it might happen again when the two of you are alone."

The tall brunette frowned. She was happy that she found out something more about Deeks and about the way she could help him if he needed it, but she didn't like the fact that he had to go through those episodes. "Hey, what do you mean by that? You know there's nothing between me and Deeks." She protested, changing the subject and attempting to lighten the mood of the conversation.

"There's nothing yet..." Ray smirked cunningly. "You two have a thing! It's so obvious!"

"Nah, there's no thing... we're just friends." She denied but her heart was beating madly. "And we better go back inside. Maybe a doctor showed up..."

She hadn't finished talking yet, but the boy was already holding the French window open for her. "You can change the subject but you can't change the fact that you and Marty are made for each other." He paused a little, lowering his voice. "I know my brother and I have never seen him so taken by a girl. You must be truly special, Wikipedia."

"Wikipedia? How did you come up with this name?" Kensi was more than puzzled.

"Really? Don't you see it? You always go all Wikipedia on me, telling me stuff and correcting me all the time, talking like an encyclopedia!"

"Oh shut up, you know it's not true! Come on now, let's go back." She rebuked him, pushing him inside jokingly. She didn't know why though, but once again her heartbeat was racing and just thinking about Deeks confused and agitated her. "Oh come on girl, get you mind together!"

As soon as Kensi and Ray joined their friends, they saw Deeks approach them from the opposite direction. His face was a little bit more relaxed than before, but his shoulders were still hunched under a heavy burden.

"Hey, you ok?" She asked him, reaching for his hand.

Marty stared at her, biting his lip nervously. "I'm… good, but I will be even better when one of those freaking doctors tells us something!"

Kensi knew what he was doing, focusing on something to hide his own issues, as Ray told her, it was a coping mechanism, the same coping mechanism he had to learn to face his past and go on with his life. "You don't have to be okay, it's normal to be stressed and worried." She found his hand this time and squeezed it.

Deeks' expression softened as he passed his fingers through his shaggy hair. He sighed, casting a glance at his best friend, seeing him nod gravely. "He told you, didn't he?"

She was taken by surprise by his affirmation, not knowing exactly how she could reply to him without hurting his feelings and his pride. "Yes, but…"

The blond boy bowed his head closing his eyes and playing nervously with his tongue.

"Deeks, look at me." Kensi forced him to lift his stare and look at her, straight in the eyes. "There's nothing to be ashamed of… nothing! I understand, trust me, and you don't need to give me any explanation if you don't want to. I just want you to know that, nothing changes for me and I don't think any less of you. I hope you can believe me."

Marty's eyes watered, but he tried with all of his strength to hold the tears. "You know what's worse, Kensi? It's not that you might think less of me, but that I… I…"

"No! You're not weak, you're not crazy either. You're just you… you are allowed to have you down moments, as much as we all are. Don't underestimate yourself or beat yourself up because of that." She was moving the palm of her hand towards his face when they heard a little commotion and they saw the Harringtons and their friends get up and move towards the approaching doctor. She stopped half way through what she was doing, feeling a bit disappointed for the bad timing, but she soon joined the others, followed by Deeks.

"I am Dr. Morrison and I bet you're here for G. Callen." A small, bald man with piercing green eyes hidden behind a pair of thick glasses greeted them.

"Dr. Morrison, I'm Kevin Harrington and these are my wife, Jo-Anna, and my daughter, Jennifer. We're G's foster family. These ones are his friends, please tell us how's he doing…" Mr. Harrington asked, holding his wife tightly towards him, to give and take some support.

"Your boy has been very lucky because if he was not taken to the hospital in time, he would be dead by now. Fortunately, we were able to intervene in time and just to calm you all down, he will be ok." The doctor told everyone with almost brutal honesty. "He has been beaten pretty bad, he had two cracked ribs and another two are bruised. He has contusions and cuts here and there but nothing too serious. What worried us the most was the bleeding in his abdomen but fortunately we managed to repair the damage and stop it relatively quickly, replacing the blood he lost. We're keeping him sedated for the next twelve to sixteen hours so his body has some time to rest and start the healing process. He doesn't have a concussion and this is an added bonus. All he needs right now is a lot of rest."

"Thank God!" Jo-Ann exclaimed, saying out loud what everyone was thinking. "Can we see him?"

"He's been moved to ICU as we speak, but don't worry, it's just a precaution. Tomorrow we will move him to a standard room. For now, we can allow only the family to visit him, but tomorrow you all will be able to see him." Morrison spoke directly to the bunch of teenagers standing in front of him.

"Dr. Morrison can you allow at least one of them to stay? I think that G would be happy if his best friend was here when he wakes up." Jennifer spoke for the first time, silently pointing her stare at Sam who nodded gratefully.

The doctor almost chuckled, but understood the meaning of the request. "Ok, but no more than two people can be inside the ICU at the same time, so you might need to take turns."

"Thank you, doctor." Kevin's first instinct was to hug the doctor for the happiness, but he restrained himself. "And thank you all." He told the teenagers.

"You don't need to thank us, Mr. Harrington. Callen is our friend, there was not any other place we would rather be." Nell spoke for everyone.

"Thank you, I am very happy that G has friends like you. That boy…" Jo-Ann couldn't finish her sentence because her voice broke and she was engulfed in her husband's embrace.

"It's ok, sweetheart. He will be fine. He is going to be ok." Kevin reassured her, making slow circles on her back.

"I think it's our time to leave," Eric muttered a bit embarrassed.

"Yeah," Kensi approached Sam and gave him a kiss on his cheek. "Call me later to let me know how things are going, ok?"

The big boy hugged her in response. "I will, don't worry." He leaned towards her whispering in her ear. "Take care of Shaggy, he seems pretty shaken."

She cast her glance to Deeks, who once again had stayed a bit apart from the group, with Ray not very far away from him, keeping a close eye on him. "So you do care…" She winked, but her expression was serious.

"Nah, I care for you and sadly you two are getting a bit too close for my taste. I don't want to see you sad… you're like my little sister Kensi, you know that."

"Thank you big guy," she told him, giving him one last hug. "Ok guys, it's family time, so we're out of here."

The heterogeneous group walked out of the hospital. Eric had an arm around Nell's shoulders as they talked quietly, finally relieved that their friend was going to be fine. Kensi and Deeks walked side by side as they always did, it was like they were both trying to fight the obvious attraction between them, but in the end they ended up closer and closer. Ray was just behind them and seemed lost in his thoughts.

"Guys, are you up for something to eat? It's past dinner time and I don't think any of us had proper food today." Nell asked, looking at his friends with pleading expression. She craved for some normality after the hellish day they just had.

"I'm in!" Eric replied enthusiastically. Every chance to spend time with Nell was good for him.

"What about you Deeks? Are you up?" Kensi wondered, trying to sound nonchalant, not wanting to push him more than necessary.

"I… I need to go home and feed Monty and… I…" He mumbled. He wanted so badly to spend time with his friends but at the same time he needed some time alone.

"Oh come on, Deeks. It's just a burger then you can go home. Can your mother feed your dog?" Nell insisted.

The blond boy stared at her, biting his lip, then he took his glance away, landing his eyes on Kensi. "Ok, just a burger, but then I have to go. For real." He said, sighing heavily. "Ray? What about you, brother?"

Martindale seemed lost in his own world and probably didn't even hear the question.

"Ray, hey… what's up?" Deeks wondered, puzzled. He knew that when his friend behaved like this, he usually had something in mind, something that probably wouldn't end well. "What the hell is your thick brain thinking?" He placed a hand on his _brother_'s shoulder, sensing the tension in it.

"I… I need to go. I… I have some stuff to take care of." Ray muttered, unable to look at his friend in the eyes. He knew that he couldn't lie to him.

"Ray… whatever you have in mind, don't." Marty told him, squeezing his shoulder.

"Hey, everything is ok, little brother. I… I just need some space. I… I will call you." With that, the smaller kid walked away, leaving everyone with a frown on the face.

"Do you think he's ok?" Eric couldn't stop himself from asking. He was not very close to Ray, but cared by nature.

Deeks watched his friend leave and he felt a weird sensation growing inside of him. He had a bad feeling. He knew Ray and he knew that when he was like this, elusive and in need of space, he was going to end up in some sort of trouble. He could feel it under his skin. "I hope he is…" he whispered very concerned. "I truly hope he is." He felt Kensi's light touch and electricity coursed through his body. She had this kind of effect on him, just being around her made him feel better.

"Let's go then, I'm starving." The brunette stated but her words didn't surprise her friends who looked at her with a wary glance.

"Really? What's new in this?" Marty told her grinning and shaking his head.

"Oh shut up, Shaggy, and let's go… it's getting late!" Without waiting for an answer, she started walking away.

Nell, Eric, and Deeks looked at one another and burst out laughing.

"She is a lost battle…" Nell said unable to hold her smile.

"Oh yes, good luck to the man who's going to marry her. He's going to spend all of his salary to feed her!" Eric echoed as his eyes moved to Deeks who looked at him with incinerating gaze.

"We're… just friends!" The blond haired boy defended himself a bit irritated and annoyed. He followed Kensi away.

Nell and Eric chuckled, shaking their heads in disbelief. "Will they ever realize how close they are?" The redhead said.

"They're just too stubborn… but they will come along, sooner or later. And if they won't, we can help them."

"You know Beale, I love your wicked mind ahahah" She passed a hand under Eric's arm and then she guided him towards the direction their friends took. "Come on, I need some food too."

* * *

"You shouldn't have walked me home, now I have to walk you home. You know that this neighborhood is not safe!" Deeks told Kensi. He was not upset or irritated, just surprised since he was not used to kindness.

"Oh don't be an idiot, my mother is on her way. I called to tell her that I needed to help you with homework and since she knows I am tutoring you, she didn't object at all." She replied, lightly punching him on his shoulder. "And I knew that you needed some company tonight. It's been a hell of a day."

"It's been a hell of a day for all of us, not only for me." He pointed out. He loved spending time with Kensi because she made him feel almost normal, she considered him for who he was and not for his past. No one ever did what she did for him and in such a short period of time. Deeks couldn't deny that he was a bit scared of how they were gravitating in each other orbits. His childhood spent listening to his father spitting sentences on him, telling how useless he was or how he was able to ruin everyone's life couldn't be forgotten so easily. And his worst fear was to ruin Kensi's life.

"Yes, but we both know that I am not the one who blacked out." She was a bit afraid of going down this path, afraid that she might force him to retreat into himself, to hide from the rest of the world. From what she understood about Marty Deeks, he liked to talk, he liked to be a witty chatterbox, but when it came to personal feelings, he opened up only with few people and only after he finally decided to trust them. She knew that he truly trusted her, but this was something that she didn't know how to handle, because it was a behavior that went back in time and had roots in his traumatic past. "You know that you can talk to me if you need it." She reached for his hand, almost surprised when he didn't retreat, when he didn't try to avoid the contact.

"I… I know, it's just that there are things that… that I prefer not to talk about." Marty murmured, closing his eyes and clenching her hand like it was his only way to safety. "Why… why don't you come inside?" He suddenly asked out of nowhere.

"What… I…" She didn't know how to take his offer. She wanted to go inside his apartment, she truly did, but was unsure of what might be expected of her inside. "I… I don't know, maybe your mum doesn't approve and I…"

His expression softened seeing her hesitation. "Don't worry, my mum is at work and I bet Monty would be happy to see you, not to mention that if we have to sell your mother a lie, we better make it believable."

Kensi frowned at his words, not at the thought of Monty or at the fact that he wanted to sell their lie to help her with her mother, but because she realized that in the months she had hung out with Deeks, she never met his mum, not even briefly, she was always at work or running errands. "Your mother works a lot, especially at night." She stated without thinking too much, regretting it immediately as soon as she saw Deeks' face darken and as soon as he broke contact with her.

There was a moment of awkward silence then Marty opened the door and walked inside his apartment. As soon as he did, Monty rushed towards him, wagging his tail and moaning happily.

"Hey there boy? Did you miss me? I know you did…" He petted his dog and allowed him to lick his face.

Kensi observed the cute scene with a smile on her face; she didn't know why she found herself mesmerized when looking at Deeks play with his dog, but it warmed her heart. When she noticed that the two of them had finally broken apart, she knelt to greet the furry mutt as well. "Hey Monty!" She didn't make it to the end of the sentence, because Monty ran to her and greeted her happily. "See? Your dog loves me."

"You're such a traitor, buddy!" Marty scolded his dog but he was not mad at him at all. Actually, he enjoyed that Kensi had such a nice relationship with Monty. He looked at her, scratching the furry mutt behind his ears, amazed by the happiness he could read in her eyes. "Come on, Monty, time to get something to eat." He went to the kitchen to fix his dog some food. In a blink of an eye, Monty forgot about everyone and concentrated on his meal.

Kensi stood in the middle of the living room, staring at Deeks and her stomach knotted. What was happening here? Why did she feel so uncomfortable but at the same time at ease when she was around him? She shook her head and moved to the couch, joining her friend who was already sitting there. "Look, I… I don't know what came to me before, asking about your mum. I know she's working hard to give you two a decent life, it's just that…"

"You said it yourself, she's working hard to give me a decent life. Sadly, not everyone has a well remunerated job, some people have to work very hard to get to the end of the month…" Deeks' words sounded harsher than he intended and mostly they were not aimed at Kensi, so he added immediately. "I'm not talking about you or your mum. And having money and being well-fixed is not your fault. I was not talking about you… but…" He couldn't finish his sentence because she put a finger on his lips to silence him.

"Shut up. I know what you mean, no need to babble." She whispered with a kind voice while her eyes locked on his, losing herself in the ocean blue of his orbs. The knot in her stomach had become butterflies now. "I understand, Deeks, and I don't want to sound hypocritical, but you know that if you need anything, you can ask me."

Marty nervously licked his lips with his tongue, sensing that something was happening between them. He didn't know how to describe his feelings for Kensi, but they were becoming more than a friendship. Every time he was around her, his heart beat madly in his chest and his hands were sweaty. He hadn't felt like this in a long time. It had been too long since a girl had made him feel like this. "Thanks," was the only thing he managed to say, flashing a grateful smile.

Kensi swallowed hard, not understanding why she was so affected by him, by his presence, his closeness. She felt a sudden urge to touch him, to caress his face, to let her fingers play with his golden locks. To control herself, she bit her lip, but the simple gesture didn't do her any good. "You know you can always count on me…" She whispered as her hand searched for him.

Deeks was a bit surprised by her move, but didn't try to get away. His fingers intertwined with hers and he found himself craving for more. He lost himself in her mesmerizing, mismatched eyes and the desire started burning inside of him. His gaze moved to her lips and he only wanted to taste them, to feel them. The tension between them was so thick that it was possible to cut it with a knife. Electricity was in the air. "What's happening here?" He murmured as his face moved closer to hers. They were so close that their noses almost touched.

"I… I don't know, but… whatever it is, it's making me feel good." Kensi said, inhaling his breath as his scent invaded her nostrils.

Marty lifted his hand and with the back of his fingers, he dared to gently caress her cheek. When he saw that she didn't punch him as she usually did, he went on, placing his palm on her face.

Kensi closed her eyes, enjoying the single touch, the tenderness in the gesture.

"Would you hate me if I kissed you right now?" He finally wondered, unable to take his eyes off her.

"I think you need to run the risk." An amused smile curled Kensi's lips right before she felt his mouth on hers.

At first he seemed timid and shy, but as soon as she answered his kiss, his self-consciousness grew exponentially and he pushed a little more. His tongue asked for an access and she didn't deny it to him.

Kensi's fingers ran through his hair in a gesture she had always dreamed about, while his arms engulfed her, making her feel protected and safe.

They broke apart when they were both in need of fresh air, but their forehead touched and their eyes locked on each other.

"So, what does this make us?" Deeks muttered, whispering softly.

"This makes us a boy and a girl who like each other and who want to enjoy themselves…" She smiled kindly, cupping his face.

"A boy and a girl who want to spend some time together, maybe go out to have an ice cream together or just walk on the beach?" It wasn't a question, but exactly what he wanted to do right now with Kensi, obviously after he kissed her again, over and over.

"Is it an offer? Because it's something I would love to do." She was shining with happiness. This was much more than she had expected for the night, especially after the horrible day they had.

If possible, Deeks' expression became even sweeter and happier. He was smiling broadly, that silly, joyful smile of his that Kensi loved so much, and his eyes were smiling consequently. He was going to kiss her again, he was already half way through, when his phone rang, vibrating in his pocket. He tried to ignore it, but the ring didn't stop. "Damn it!" He cursed, irritated.

"You better take that, maybe it's important." She exhorted him, caressing his face.

"Ah hell, it better be important or I will kill whoever is calling me." He got up and took out the phone. "You don't go anywhere…" Without watching who was calling him, he answered. "Go for Deeks."

"Marty…"

Deeks recognized immediately the voice and recognized the serious and rushed tone. "Ray? What's up brother?" He went straight to the point.

"Marty, I think I found out who did that to Callen. And I have every intention to make them pay…"

"Ray, NO! What the hell are you talking about?" Marty's concern was written all over his face and his voice couldn't hide his worry.

Kensi, sensing that it was something serious, stood up and moved towards him, placing a hand on his back as a comfort.

"Marty, the Vipers did it. Those bastards have no shame, but I know what they care about and I know how to make them pay." Ray explained with a grave tone that didn't leave anything for the imagination.

"Don't you dare doing anything stupid, Ray! Those sick bastards are dangerous, you know that very well… and you see what they did to Callen just to get a few dollars and his phone."

"I'm not going to stop Marty. You know what they did… and… I… simply can't…"

Deeks closed his eyes, he was aware of what his friend was talking about, it was still an open wound for the two of them, but this was too dangerous, the Vipers were dangerous. "Ok, where are you?"

"Marty, no. I don't want you to get in trouble because of me."

"Damn it, Ray. I told you, where are you?" This time Marty yelled angrily.

Kensi had never seen him like that, he was shaken, worried, but mostly deadly determined.

"In front of Ricky's bar, close to their base." It looked like a weight had been removed from Ray's shoulders.

"Wait there, don't move until I'm there. Did you hear me, Ray? Don't move! I'll be there in fifteen minutes."

Martindale hesitated a moment, but finally answered. "Ok. See you later then."

Deeks closed the communication and found Kensi staring at him. "I… I am sorry, but I… I have to go. It's Ray and…"

"What's up, Deeks? What's going on?" She asked more than worried. She could see how affected he was by the call he received and even her gentle touch didn't seem to work in calming him down.

"Kens, please don't ask. But…" He saw her scrutinizing and a little hurt face, so he bowed his head sighing and then explained to her what was going on. "Look, Ray found out who beat up Callen and he's going to do something stupid that may put him in danger. I… I need to go down there and stop him, before it's too late and he gets himself killed."

"What? But… we need to call the police. If it's too dangerous, you can…"

Marty silenced her, placing his lips on hers and kissing her. "No, there's no need for the police if I make him reason."

"I'm coming with you." Kensi stated stubbornly, holding his hand with fierce determination.

"Kens, no… your mother is already on the way and I don't want her to get mad at me before she can allow me to take you out on a date."

She was mad at him, because he was going to embark in a risky situation, but her heart melted at the sound of his world. "A date? A real date? Are you serious?"

"Yes, I have the intention of doing things properly with you. So yes, a real date."

Kensi bit her lip and then, without saying anything else, she threw herself on his chest, letting him embrace her in his strong arms. "Just promise me you'll be careful." Breaking the hug, she looked into his eyes. "And call me as soon as you're away from that place. But remember, if I don't get a call from you within two hours, I am going to call the police."

Deeks smiled, amused because of her affection towards him. "Deal." He sealed the deal with a sweet kiss. "I have to go now… there's a key in the flower vase outside, can you close the door and give Monty some water before leaving? You can give me the key back tomorrow."

Kensi nodded, watching him walking towards the door. She had a bad feeling about it, a really bad feeling.

Marty smiled, turning around, sensing her uneasiness. "Don't worry, Fern. I'll be back." And with that, he walked through the door, disappearing from her sight.

* * *

_Just a quick note for whoever asked it. Kensi and Deeks are around fifteen (the same goes for Eric and Nell) while Sam, Callen and Ray are at least a couple of years older._


	6. Chapter 6

New chapter is up. Thanks to whoever is reading this story and to purecraziness, because I would be lost without her help!

* * *

Chapter 6

Deeks arrived in front of Ricky's bar in a little over fifteen minutes and he hoped that Ray had waited for him as he asked his friend to do. He scanned the area, starting to worry when he didn't see the familiar figure of his best friend. Even if he didn't want to, he panicked as his heart was beating madly in his chest. Marty had an idea of how furious Ray might be and he was really afraid that his friend could do something very stupid and irrational.

They both had history with The Vipers that was a local gang essentially made by Hispanic boys of various ages. One of the leaders was Fernando Zubileta, a twenty-two year old boy whose family came from Mexico where they had an ongoing business that went from drug dealing to human trafficking. Fernando's sister, Anita, a couple of years ago, even if she was older than both of them, became a close friend of Ray and Deeks, hanging out with them as much as she could. Doing so, she realized that what her family did for living was completely wrong and wanted a way out. Too bad Fernando found out. With the help of his father and his friends, Anita was sent back to Mexico and no one ever knew what became of her. The two boys ended up in the hospital after The Vipers decided to teach them a lesson, beat them until they couldn't stand anymore. Ray, who had a soft spot for Anita, probably wanting more than friendship, never forgot it and mostly, never forgave Fernando and his buddies.

Deeks was starting to become very worried when finally, he caught a glimpse of his friend hiding in an alley, right in front of what was known as the Viper's hangout, which was an old, dismissed, automotive shop. Sighing in relief, he walked discretely towards Ray, careful that no one noticed him. "You were supposed to wait for me!" He said, pushing his brother further into the alley and trying to control the tone of his voice.

"And as you can see, I did that! I couldn't stand in front of the bar any longer, they would have caught me…"

"Ray, we need to get away from here, call the cops and let them handle this situation." Marty locked his blue eyes on the smaller boy, not liking what he was seeing in them at all.

"What? Get away? Are you crazy, Marty? You saw what they did to Callen… you remember what they did to us… to Anita…" Tears formed in Ray's eyes as he grabbed his friend's jacket with strength, with vehemence. "Damn it, Marty! I can't get away from here knowing what they did, knowing that they almost killed one of our friends… that…" A wave of pure rage coursed through his system and his whole body trembled, shaking uncontrollably.

"Ray, don't you see it? You're not thinking straight and it'll only lead to trouble!"

"And what's new in this? Are you having second thoughts? Or are you getting too soft since you started hanging out with that chick?" Ray's voice was filled with sarcasm and irony, but his expression was very serious, full of pure fury.

"You know that's not fair! This doesn't have anything to do with Kensi… this is about you. I am worried about you… I… I don't want to see you hurt or… worse." Deeks bit his lip nervously. He truly meant what he said. He knew his friend too well and he was aware that when he was in this mental state, he didn't reason and act consequently. In the past, this only led to serious troubles. "Damn it, Ray, how can't you see it that I'm worried about you?"

"So help me! Help me take care of those bastards!" The older boy was almost begging his friend, still clenching on his jacket. "You know how much Fernando loves his car, so I'm going to steal it to lure him out and get my revenge on him and his freaking buddies."

"Are you listening to what you're saying? We're two Ray, only two… and how many of them are there? This won't end well!" Marty protested, pushing his friend away and passing a hand through his hair, a gesture he did when he was very nervous. "You're insane Ray… you're fucking insane!"

A cunning grin curled Ray's lips. "But you said we're two against them… so you're with me, so this makes you even more insane!" The grin turned into a laugh.

"Oh shut up you asshole! I didn't say that I agree with you, but someone has to keep you out of trouble and keep a close eye on you…" Deeks knew that he was putting himself into a very bad situation with no return. He thought of Kensi and the fact that he could be with her right now, continuing what Ray had interrupted, but then he cast a glance at his best friend, at the person who helped him more than anyone else, the one person that never betrayed or disappointed him and he knew that, even if he didn't want to, he had to help his friend. He saw Ray attempt to say something but he silenced him immediately. "Don't try to say anything, brother, I'm not in the mood…" He took a long breath, then he muttered to himself. "Damn it, I know this is going to be awful… Fuck!"

Uncaring of what his friend told him, Ray passed an arm around Marty's shoulders, shaking him while a big smirk appeared on his face. "Come on, Marty, it will be fun, we will finally have our revenge on that fucking son of a bitch… Martindale and Deeks in action, just like old times. It's going to be great!"

No matter how confident his friend was, Deeks' stomach contorted, like it was clenched in a tight knot. Nothing could shake the bad feeling that was making him shiver, that chilled his bones. He lifted his head to inhale deeply, looking at the dark sky of the night. It was going to be a long night. "Just shut up, Ray, before I change my mind…"

But Martindale was already too excited and adrenaline was pumping through his veins at the idea of getting his revenge against The Vipers. "Come on little brother, it's time we put those lock picking skills of yours to work so we can break into their garage and steal Fernando's precious car."

"Ray, we still have time to go home and call the police…" Marty couldn't finish the sentence.

"Wow, wait a moment… are you having cold feet, brother? I thought we were on the same page here… Callen is our friend as much as Anita was our friend, don't you want them to be avenged?" Ray's expression darkened and even his tone was not as playful as just a second before. "Are you getting too soft?"

"No! It's not like that!" Deeks knew exactly what his friend was implying with getting soft and this made him mad. "You know very well that… I'm with you, 100%... but it's too dangerous. They are too many and we're just two. I don't want anything happen to any of us. Damn it, Ray, you know I would do anything for you. You're my brother… and brothers always stick together. It's just too risky." His last words were almost inaudible.

"Oh hell, Marty! And you think I don't know that? But you know what? I'm tired of allowing those punks to hurt the people I care about. I am tired of those sons of bitches ruining my life, doing what they want and when they want just because they don't have a girl to fuck in their bed! It's time to stop them and teach them a lesson…" Martindale's eyes sparkled with determination. "We can do it, Marty. Finally, we can do something to put them in their place. They might outnumber us, but they don't expect us to do anything, they think that we're scared puppies… but we're not. We are not afraid of them."

"It's not them that I am afraid of… it's you and… and the consequences. I don't want to…"

Ray grabbed his friend by his shoulders, forcing him to look at him. "Marty, there won't be consequences. I promise you."

Deeks passed a hand through his hair as his tongue played with his lips. "You can't promise that… but I told you that I would keep an eye on you and I will do it. Brothers till the end." He couldn't finish the sentence because his friend engulfed him in a big hug. "Gah, easy there… and let's go, before I change my mind."

They turned the corner and found themselves in front of the hidden garage in which The Vipers kept their possessions and mostly where Fernando Zubileta kept his precious car, a car his father bought him and that he managed to put together piece by piece.

"Come on, little brother, time to work your magic." Ray said, patting his friend's shoulder. "Once we're in, it will be my time to hijack that fucking monster Fernando calls a car."

Deeks didn't even reply, he knelt in front of the lock and a few seconds later they both heard the familiar click, telling them that it was open. "I think this is a new world record." He grinned proudly while standing up and taking a look around to see if someone noticed their presence. "You're turn now, brother."

The older boy moved towards what he recognized as the infamous car. It was a black 1959 Cadillac Deville with red and yellow flames running along both sides. On the hood there was the image of a naked woman chained to a pole, long black hair covered her face but not the intimate parts of her body or her breasts. She was gagged and didn't look very comfortable. The name Anita in a bright yellow font was written behind it. Ray shivered at the sight in front of him and his blood boiled. The anger and the rage that was rushing through him just a few moments before became even more intense and he barely controlled himself. "Son of a bitch!" He yelled loudly, releasing his frustration and fury.

Before Marty could do anything to stop his friend from doing anything and mostly before he could drag him away, since after the loud scream they were probably screwed up, Ray scanned the garage only to find a metal pipe scattered on the floor. With a quick gesture, he picked it up and started hitting the hood of the car and the windows sending them to pieces, shattering them.

Suddenly, the lights turned on and a group of boys, all wearing black leather jackets and black bandanas rushed inside. "Over there!" One of them pointed out at the two intruders.

Deeks tried to pull Ray away, but his friend was in a trance, blinded by the rage and thirst of vengeance. "We need to go, NOW!" Marty yelled, clenching his friend's jacket.

But Ray didn't hear anything, he took off his jacket and launched himself at the approaching boys. He hit the first guy with the metal pipe, sending him to the floor holding his midsection. "Come on, you fucking bastards… come on, who's next?"

"RAY!" Marty screamed, trying to catch his attention but in vain. A wave of pure terror rushed through him when he saw one of The Vipers moving behind his friend who was too busy looking in front of him to notice. "Oh hell!" Without thinking about the consequences, he rushed to stop The Viper's guy and fortunately he managed to do it just in time. But sadly, the commotion had brought other members of the gang to the garage. He watched in horror as a couple of them took down Ray, who was screaming and cursing in spite of the punches he was receiving.

Deeks wanted to move to help his friend, but before he could take a single step, his head exploded in pain when something hit him from behind. He found himself on the floor with the room spinning around him, making him sick. "Ray…" He murmured while trying to get up, but strong arms pulled him on his feet. For a moment, he thought that he was really going to throw up. His vision was blurred and he could feel the blood running down his face, everything was fuzzy, but the voice that reached his ears was unmistakable.

"Well, well, well. Look who's back to bothering me… Always the troublemakers." Fernando Zubileta's voice resounded in the suddenly silent garage. He walked towards the two intruders with a steady and confident pace. "I have to say, you've got balls… it's not for everybody to come here and do what you did. Too bad you will pay for this."

"You son of a bitch!" Ray tried to wriggle to get himself free and mostly to punch the older boy in his face, but he was rewarded with a heavy blow in his stomach.

Marty could only see blurred images of what was going on in front of him, his head was pounding like crazy and he seemed on the edge of throwing up. He managed to realize that someone had hit his friend. "Ray…" He whispered feebly.

"You're a sick bastard, Fernando… and a coward…" Martindale spat on Zubileta who, at first, didn't react.

He simply cleaned his face with the back of his hand, then he grabbed the other's boy's hair, yanking his head backward. In his hand, he had the metal pipe Ray was holding just a few minutes ago. "You didn't learn the lesson the other time Martindale, maybe it's time you have another session. Then, I will send you to meet your sweet Anita…"

Ray struggled, hearing the name of the girl he had fallen in love with. "Bastard! It was your sister and you…" He couldn't finish, because Fernando hit him with the pipe across his face, but fortunately the rage of the moment didn't allow him to do it as properly as he wanted.

Zubileta then moved toward Deeks, lifting his chin with the pipe. "Now tell me Martindale, what can I do with your friend here? He looks pretty off…"

"Let him be…" Ray murmured as he spat the blood filling his mouth on the floor. "He didn't do anything."

"Well, I don't call hitting one of my boys nothing. I don't call sneaking into my property nothing…" Fernando's voice was getting angrier as time went on. "And maybe I just can beat the crap out of him to punish you." He didn't give the other boy time to reply. With a quick gesture, he slammed the metal pipe across Marty's chest.

A loud cry resounded in the air.

"Marty!" Martindale yelled desperately, seeing his little brother mistreated. "Let him go, you fucking son of a bitch!"

"Why, I'm just starting to have fun…" The pipe twirled in the air and crashed on Deeks' face.

His head exploded in pain and white stars danced in front of his eyes. Before he could even attempt to move or react, another blow reached his stomach. His legs failed him and if it wasn't for a couple of Vipers holding him, he would be sprawled on the floor.

Tears veiled Ray's eyes as the sense of guilt filled his whole body and mind; his friend was here because he had convinced him and because he lost control. Now Marty was paying the price. "Please, Fernando, I beg you, do whatever you want with me, but leave him alone… please…"

A fat laugh echoed in the garage and it was the only sound filling the air along with Deeks' heavy breathes and Martindale's sobs.

Zubileta grabbed Marty's chin, lifting his head, uncaring of the pained moans from the blond boy because of the agony spreading through his body. "Now tell me, Martindale, was it worth it?" He lifted the metal pipe ready to strike again.

"NO!" Ray yelled wriggling and struggling to get himself free and help his friend, but the hands holding him were too strong. "No, Marty NO!"

Deeks could only feel the pain, there was a drums' session in his head and he was having trouble breathing. Through the fog clouding his vision and mind, he watched in horror as Fernando was holding a pipe over his head and was ready to hit him. In his eyes, there was only hatred. Marty knew that he could do nothing to stop the other boy, that this was the end… he closed his eyes, bracing for what was coming next. A wave of excruciating agony exploded in his midsection when the hard object hit him again, harder than before. He was on the verge of passing out when an unexpected sound reached his ears. He didn't know if he was dreaming or not, but he thought that not a sound had been any sweeter. He closed his eyes and darkness engulfed him while the sound of the sirens filled the air.

* * *

Kensi watched the clock for the umpteenth time. It was 7:30 in the morning and she was getting ready to go to school, but her mind was not focused on that. She didn't sleep much last night, waking up almost every thirty minutes, checking the clock or her phone, hoping to find a text or a missed call. Sadly, she didn't get either of them.

"Kensi, honey, are you ok?" Her mother asked as she was staring at a donut with an absent expression. "Are you feeling sick? You've been staring at that donut for the past ten minutes and your orange juice is untouched."

The girl didn't seem to hear the question, still lost in her thoughts, until she felt a hand on her shoulder that made her jump in her chair. "Oh gosh, mum. You scared me to death!"

"Kensi, dear, I've been talking to you for a few minutes, but you looked like you just lost your puppy… Are you sure you're ok?" Julia insisted, trying to hide her worry. She passed a hand on her daughter's forehead to check her temperature, glad to see she was not feverish. "Did you have an argument with that boy… the one you're tutoring, what's his name? He looks like a nice boy, very well-mannered and kind."

"Deeks, his name is Marty Deeks, mum… and no, I didn't have an argument with him and yes he is a nice guy." Kensi admitted while her heart raced thinking about the kiss they shared last night and how good he had made her feel.

"Mmmm I know that face, sweetie…" Her mother caressed her face with a sweet tone. She could see all the signs of a young love blossoming and her heart melted. Her little girl was growing up so quickly.

"Mum! There's nothing between me and Deeks… we're just friends!" The teenager replied vehemently, feeling guilty at the sound of her own words because they obviously were more than friends. She bowed her head not to cross her eyes with her mother and her glance landed on her phone, 7:45 and still no news from Deeks. A tight knot formed in her stomach. Something was wrong, something was very wrong, she could feel it. She didn't know why but she was sure that something had happened, something bad. Deeks promised to call her and he always kept his word… if he didn't call, he had to be in some kind of trouble. Kensi started to panic so she got up and turned the TV on, surfing through the channels, looking for the local news. Her heart beat madly at the idea of finding out about her friend… boyfriend, whatever Deeks was right now, on TV.

"Kensi… what are you doing?" Julia asked, even more concerned by her daughter's strange behavior. "What are looking at?"

"Mum, please. I promise I'll tell you everything, but can you give me just a minute? I… I need to see if… if…" She was still flipping from channel to channel when the doorbell rang, startling her. "Deeks!" She shouted, rushing to the door before her mother could do it. When she finally managed to calm herself enough to open it, she was welcomed by a familiar face, but not the one she was desperately looking for. "Ray… hey…"

"Kensi…"

It was then that Kensi noticed the split lip and bruises on her friend's face and pure terror spread through her as she studied the boy's expression. "Oh God, Ray, what happened? And… where's… where's Deeks? Is he… is he ok?"

Ray stared at her for just a brief second, then he had to bow his head. "Can we… can we talk for a moment?" He told her, clearly not willing to walk inside the house.

"Yeah, of course, but Ray, please, tell me what's going on? Where's Deeks?" She asked again, closing the door behind her and guiding her friend towards a bench in the frontyard. She grabbed his arm with desperation and increasing worry. "Hell Ray, tell me. Where is Deeks? Is he hurt?"

Martindale sank in the bench, burying his head in his hands, looking clearly exhausted. "He's in jail… and it's all my fault."

It was like someone had punched her in the stomach. She had thought about a lot of scenarios, but this was something her mind never took into consideration. "In jail? What… what the hell happened? Damn it, Ray. Deeks said something about the fact that you found out who put Callen in that hospital bed… why are you here and he's not? Come on Ray, talk to me!"

Ray took a long deep breath, not knowing exactly where to start. "Marty is in jail because of me… because I was an idiot and I didn't listen to him. He wanted to make me reason, but I didn't want to listen, because I was so blinded by my hate, by my anger and thirst of revenge… and now he… I screwed everything up. He is going to hate me and he has all the reason to. Idiot, idiot, idiot! Damn it, I'm just a fucking idiot!"

"You know that Deeks will never hate you, you two are more than friends… you're brothers." Even if she was dreading to find out what happened to Deeks, Kensi tried to comfort her friend, sensing his sorrow and deep sadness. She had never seen Ray likes this, he was truly on the edge of crying.

"You really can't understand Kensi, I… I just ruined his life." The boy looked at her, lifting his head. His blue eyes were filled with tears that freely rolled down his cheeks. "I just ruined everything…" He sobbed, once again burying his head in his hands.

"Why don't you start from the beginning? Please, tell me everything…" There was a begging note in her voice that she tried to hide behind a kind smile. "I need to know!"

Ray took a long deep breath, passing a hand over his face, trying to compose himself, but it was hard. He was still shaking and deep inside of him, there was a big battle going on. "Ok… you… you deserve to know." He paused, staring intently at his friend who was literally hanging off his words. "As Marty told you, I talked to some old friends and they gave me the information I needed it, that a local gang called The Vipers, attacked Callen. What Marty probably didn't tell you is that he and I have history with this gang, especially with a guy named Fernando Zubileta. Ok, I am not going to tell you the whole story, because it's too long and too… painful, but after finding this out, I wanted revenge, I needed it, for Callen and for… well, I needed to make Fernando pay."

Kensi locked her stare on her friend, hoping to read between the lines. She could feel that whatever history Ray and Deeks had with The Vipers, it was nothing good.

Martindale got up and started pacing, his nervousness increasing. "Marty tried to change my mind, to convince me to give up and call the police, but I was just too stubborn, too angry. Man, I haven't felt so angry in a long time!" Once again, he had to stop and inhale deeply to control his accelerated heartbeat. "And so I was the one convincing him to help me. I was a real asshole, using his loyalty towards me to force him to help me. I knew that he would never leave me alone in this, because he cared too much about me…" A shiver ran down his spine as a lonely tear rolled down his cheek. "We sneaked into The Vipers' hideout, determined to steal Fernando's car to lure him out, but as I saw it and I saw that freaking… that… I…" His voice cracked and this time he shed more than one tear. "I lost it. I started shouting and hitting the car, so I just attracted the bad guys, who ran inside and after a bit of a fight, they got the best of us. Marty took a bad blow to his head so he was a bit off, dizzy and couldn't defend himself. Fernando…"

The brunette was biting her lip as her concern grew. Ray had told her that Deeks was in jail, not that he was hurt. How bad was he? A blow to the head was never a good sign. "Ray, what do you mean that Deeks took a heavy blow? Is he hurt? Did he see a doctor?"

Martindale stopped pacing, looking at his friend with a broken expression, with guilt. He couldn't answer her question though, he needed to finish the story or he wouldn't be able to do it anymore. "Fernando hit him with a metal pipe, over and over, just to punish me." He sat down next to Kensi, holding her hand, while tears signed his face. "Believe me, I begged him to stop, to let Marty go, to do whatever he wanted with me, but he didn't listen to me and went on, enjoying what he was doing."

Kensi was barely holding her tears as well, her stomach was knotted and she only wanted to see Deeks, to see how he was doing. Desperately. "Damn it, Ray, tell me what the hell happened to Deeks! How's he doing?"

"The police happened. Someone probably alerted by the noises called the cops and they arrived just in time. They stopped Fernando and his goons before he could do more damage than he actually did. They took us to the hospital to be checked out. Marty has a mild-concussion, a couple of cracked ribs, a broken wrist, bruises and stitches here and there, but the doc said he's going to be fine."

She released the breath she hadn't realized she was holding, bowing her head. "Thank God… what about you?"

"Just some bruises, nothing too serious…" Ray's voice was barely a whisper and it was clear that he was not telling the whole truth. "They brought us in, accusing us of trespassing and attempted robbery, but Fernando has been accused too because he assaulted and beat the crap out of us… I wish he could rot in jail for a long time!"

There was a moment of silence until Kensi finally broke it, searching for her friend's eyes. "Ray… you didn't answer my question, how come you're here and Marty's not?" She feared the answer.

"My mother bailed me out…" Martindale said, getting up and starting to pace again. "I called her as soon as they allowed us, after we got questioned."

"Ok, but why is Marty still there? Why hasn't his mother bailed him out too?" She waited for an answer that didn't come so she pressed a little more. "Ray?" Nothing.

The boy stood still, unable to look at her in her eyes. "This is why I need your help." He rummaged through his pocket, taking out an envelope. "I… I think this is enough to get him out of that place. Can you… can you ask your mother to… to bail him out?"

Kensi was more than confused. She picked up the offered envelope, shaking her head. "I don't understand, why are you asking me that? Why… I…" Her eyes searched for Ray's but he tried to hide from her scrutinizing glance by turning around. She grabbed him by the arm with a hint of anger, causing him to face her. "Damn it, Ray! Talk to me! Why hasn't his mother bailed him out yet?"

"Because there is no mother!" The boy yelled angrily, trembling like a leaf.

"What… what are you talking about? Deeks told me that his mother… that she…" She felt lost but soon she started to put the pieces together and things started to make sense.

"His mother left him almost two years ago and since then he has tried to do everything to hide this to everyone. I was the only one he told. I… I helped him keep the secret." Ray closed his eyes, sighing heavily. "He doesn't have anyone besides me… and you. And you are the only one who can help him. Kensi please, I know that this is a big favor, but you're his only chance to get out of that place. Please Kensi, help me… help him…"

Kensi was frozen on her spot on the bench, unable to process what she had just learnt. Everything Deeks told her about his mother was a lie, what if he lied to her about his feelings too? What if he was using her?

Before she could respond, Ray held her hands, looking at her with teary eyes and with begging tone, "Please Kensi, I beg you. Can you help him?"


	7. Chapter 7

A big Thank you to purecraziness for her help and to all of you for reading!

* * *

Chapter 7

Deeks sat on the cot in the private cell he was occupying, leaning his back against the wall. When the cops found out how old he was, they had the shrewdness to at least keep him separated from other criminals.

He had bruises all over his chest and face, his busted ribs hurt like hell, and his broken wrist was in a cast. It was his head that was giving him nightmare though. It pounded so heavily that it seemed that someone was playing drums inside of it. Every time he moved too quickly, a sense of nausea and dizziness engulfed him. The doctor told him that he had a concussion, that he couldn't sleep for more than four hours at a time and for this reason an officer checked on him every once in a while, but sleep was the last thing Marty was thinking about and even if he was tired and completely worn out, he was not able to rest.

His mind was racing, thinking about his options, but the more he tried to do it, the more he realized that he was screwed. Not only he was in jail, while Ray, fortunately was out of it, but he was going to spend a lot of time in here, because no one would come to get him out. He was alone and mostly penniless.

Without realizing it, he slammed his fists on the mattress, screaming in pain when his broken wrists connected to the soft surface. "Aaarrgghh!" He cried out, immediately holding his arm in his hand.

"Hey, are you ok, kid?" The same officer who checked on him a couple of hours before showed up with concern clearly written on his face.

"I'm… good…" Deeks panted, grinding his teeth and breathing heavily. "I… I just hit my wrist." He managed to say without even looking at the man in front of him.

The door of the cell opened and the officer slowly walked inside, sitting next to the boy. "Hey, let me take a look at you." He said, gently placing a hand on Marty's forehead. "I think you're running a low fever, I should get you something. I need to ask the doc first."

Deeks didn't reply, still fighting a wave of nausea that had hit him the moment the pain had exploded in his wrist. "I'm… good, really. Thanks."

The officer sighed heavily, shaking his head, concerned by the kid's stubborn behavior. He had read his record, his history and immediately he had felt very sorry for the boy. "Ok, but I think I can ask the doc to give you something for the fever and the pain and, maybe, I can ask if you could have something to eat as well." He smiled gently before adding, "And I am Tom… well Tommy, everyone calls me Tommy. You can do it as well."

"Your plate says Officer Donovan. I thought I should call you that." Marty murmured, without even moving his stare away from his wrist. "I thought that you don't have to give too much confidence to bad guys… and I am the bad guy here."

Tommy chuckled, his hazel eyes sparkled. "You're just a kid who found himself in something bigger than you. I don't see any bad guy here."

Hearing these words, Deeks lifted his head and for the first time, he had a clear view of the man sitting in front of him. Tommy Donovan was a very tall man, with short brown hair and intense hazel eyes. He had a kind smile and a calming voice that lulled the boy, slowing down his racing heartbeat. "You don't know me, how can you say that?" He frowned.

"Well, first of all, I am very good at reading people, it's my job and I am never wrong about someone. I don't think I'm starting right now." The officer, once again, gave the boy a kind smile. "Why don't you tell me something about yourself? We can kill time while we're waiting for someone to come and get you out of here."

Marty's face darkened and moved a little away from the man. "No one will come and get me, not for a long time at least."

"Don't you have a family? Friends?" Tommy knew that if no one showed up soon, the kid would be handed to social services and taken away.

"My mum is… she… she is probably busy working and…" Deeks knew he had to continue with his lie, not revealing the truth about his mother to buy himself some time. He shook his head while trying to get up, regretting it immediately when the whole room started spinning. He rushed towards the sink and retched dry heaves. Unexpectedly, he felt strong hands holding him and arms supporting him when his legs failed him.

"Here, let me help you, kid…" Tommy wiped away the remaining saliva from the kid's mouth and then guided him back to the cot. "Come on, lie down now. You need to rest."

The boy did as told, placing himself on the mattress. "Marty… I am Marty, but almost everyone calls me Deeks. Only Ray calls me Marty… and Joey."

A big grin curled Tommy's lips. He got more answers from the kid in a single line than in the whole conversation they had until now. "Ray and Joey? Are they friends of yours?"

Deeks had his forearm covering his eyes because the light hurt them. "Ray is my best friend, my brother, the person I trust more than I trust myself… and Joey is the man I work for. At the surf shop."

Donovan took note of the new information in case no one would come for the boy in the next couple of hours. "Surf shop? Sounds cool! I never learned how to surf even though I've been living in LA for ten years. Do you surf Marty?"

The kid was getting more tired, the calming voice of the officer was like a lullaby and so he found it hard to concentrate and stay awake. "You should do it… it's amazing. I love… surfing… it's… relax… ing… It's…" He didn't manage to finish the sentence because he fell asleep.

Tommy helped the boy in a more comfortable position, removing the arm from his face, covering him with a blanket and then he gently stroked his golden locks. "Get some rest, Marty. It's going to be a long day. And God only knows how much you need to sleep to get better." He turned on his heels and got ready to leave the cell, but before doing it, he cast one last look at the kid who was already lightly snoring. When he was awake, Marty was defensive, edgy and probably more scared than he let on, but while sleeping, he looked so peaceful, so young… so innocent, just like the kid he was supposed to be. Donovan took a long deep breath, thinking about what kind of situation had brought the boy here, feeling suddenly very sorry and connected to the kid; then, sighing heavily, he walked away with a sense of void growing in his heart.

* * *

Images flashed in front of his eyes, fogged, confused, mixed in a pinwheel of hundreds of different colors. Voices echoed in his ears and mind as anguish grew inside of him, making him more distressed. And scared. Everything looked familiar to him but at the same time it was strange, distant. Only the fear was real, so real that he could almost touch it.

"No, please… no… stop it…" Marty murmured, thrashing and tossing on the cot while old ghosts haunted his mind. "No, I'll be good… very good… no, not anymore, please dad… it hurts… please… Mum, mum where are you… mum… please…"

His voice was getting louder and the dreading feeling filling his soul bigger, overwhelming. It was like a big, black hole was engulfing him, encircling him, and taking his breath away. "NO! Stop!" He shouted as the familiar sound of a gunshot resounded in the air. His heartbeat was so accelerated that he felt like his chest was ready to explode. A pained scream followed by yells and curses brought him back to the mere reality. And then here he was, standing in front of his father with a fuming gun while the man shouted at him and his mother cried desperately. "Mum, I… I did it for you… for us… mum?" But his mother was not looking at him, her eyes were locked on her husband's bleeding form. "Mum, please, don't leave me… mum… no…"

Tears were rolling down his cheeks, freely and copiously. His heart was slowly breaking into hundreds of pieces. "Mum, please, I need you… please don't leave me…"

She turned to look at him angrily, her green eyes filled with blood because of the fury. "You ruined everything Marty, you ruined our lives. He was right… you're just useless, a spoiled brat. I don't need you around… I hate you Marty. I hate you!"

Words weighed like stones and Marty didn't know what was true and what was a nightmare anymore. He knew that he was crying like the stupid child he was, like the useless idiot his father always told him he would be. He sank on his knees, bracing himself when a deep void engulfing his heart and soul. Right when he thought that everything was lost, Deeks felt someone touching his hand, something wet, but kind… loving, affectionate. "Monty…" He murmured as a light smile brightened his expression. "You're my only friend, Monty… Monty? Oh my God… Monty!" He screamed waking up, sitting up abruptly on the cot.

Once again, the whole room spun and his stomach turned upside down, but this time he managed to resist the urge of throwing up.

"Marty? Marty hey? Are you all right, kid?" Tommy's calming voice reached his ears as his strong hand was placed on the boy's shoulders.

Deeks had been so lost in his nightmare that he didn't realize that he was not alone in the cell anymore. "Tommy? I… I… I didn't mean to…" Ashamed of his weakness and of his probable screams, he wiped away the tears and moved towards the sink to wash his face with cold water.

Donovan sighed, giving the kid some time, not wanting to embarrass him. "Marty, I was coming to get you when I heard you moaning in your sleep. Do you need anything? You know you can talk to me…" His hazel eyes were locked on Marty's blue ones, hoping that the boy didn't shut him off. He could clearly see how affected the kid was by the bad dream and he only wanted to help him. He didn't understand everything Marty was mumbling, but he had a slight idea. And according to the river of tears that had rolled down his face, he was not so wrong.

"Did I sleep that long?" The kid asked stoically.

"That long? What…"

"If you came to check on me, it's because I slept almost four hours and you were following doctor's orders, waking me up."

Tommy's expression softened, preparing himself to deliver the news. "Well, actually you didn't sleep that much and I have good news for you."

"Are you going to release me so I can go back home?" Deeks' voice became frantic and he started pacing. "Monty… I need to check on Monty. He's probably scared and needs to be fed. I don't want to let him starve… Oh Monty, I'm sorry buddy, I'm so sorry…"

Donovan approached the boy, gently grabbing him by his shoulders. "Marty, calm down. Relax. Take long breaths and relax." He saw the kid following his suggestion and slowly relax. "And who is Monty, by the way?"

"He… he's my dog. I take care of him and he was alone and…" Deeks suddenly stopped, realizing that telling that no one was taking care of Monty was like admitting that he was alone and he didn't want people to know the truth. "My… mum is not… I mean…"

The cop frowned, studying the boy's expression, the fear, the pain, the distress written in his blue eyes, so he ignored the mixed feeling he was receiving and decided to give him the good news. "Marty, you're going home. There are people here to take you home."

Marty's jaw dropped at the news, he didn't expect anyone to show up. A sudden wave of hope filled his heart. Maybe his mother was finally back, maybe she was here to help him and come back to live with him. "Is… is it a woman?" He asked with feeble voice.

"Yes, it's a woman…" Donovan hadn't finished the sentence when he saw the kid's face come to life. "I take it from your face that you're happy, so come on, let's get you out of here and don't forget the meds' prescription. You need to take care of yourself kid."

Deeks' excitement was growing bigger and he could barely contain his happiness. "Can we go?"

"Of course." Tommy couldn't believe in such a sudden change. It looked like Christmas morning for the boy. "Let's get you out of here."

"Thank you, Tommy." Marty's eyes shone as he shook hands with the cop, who responded to the kind and meaningful gesture. Then, Donovan guided the kid towards the releasing area where he could retrieve his personal items.

As soon as they approached the office, Deeks' heart was beating madly and he couldn't contain his excitement anymore. He could see three people standing outside the detention area. One was Ray, the other looked like Kensi and the other… his disappointment turned his happy face into a mask of deep sorrow.

"Hey, you ok?" Tommy told him, placing a hand on his shoulders in a fatherly way. He could see that the woman waiting for him wasn't the person the boy was looking for.

"Yes, it's just… I hoped that…" Marty closed his eyes to fight the tears, then finished, "Never mind… it's ok."

Donovan placed himself in front of the kid, bending to look at him straight into his blue eyes with his expressive hazel ones. "Look, this is my card, with my number and my cell phone. Call me, whenever you need someone to talk to or if you need any kind of help. Ok?"

Deeks took the card and nodded thankfully.

"Good, now go. Out of here! And I don't want to see your face in here anymore, ok?" The cop pushed the kid towards the waiting group.

As soon as he picked up his personal effects and as soon as he stepped through the door, he watched as Kensi rushed towards him and after the first awkward and a bit hesitating moment, she ran towards him, hugging him.

"Deeks!" she yelled happily.

"Ouch…" He groaned, breaking the embrace when his ribs protested.

"Oh God, I… I am so sorry… I didn't mean to…" She felt like an idiot because she had completely forgotten about his injuries. "How are you feeling? Do you need to go to the doc? We can…"

"Kens, it's ok. I'm good, a bit achy but ok." He gave her a soft smile, genuinely smiling for the first time. Seeing her made him forget for a moment about his whole situation. "A doctor visited me and gave me this…" He showed a bag with a prescription and a bottle of pills.

"Thank God. I was so worried… and so was that idiot over there." Kensi indicated Ray who didn't have the courage to approach his best friend, still feeling too guilty. It was Deeks who made the first move, slowly walking towards him.

"Hey brother." Marty greeted his friend, smiling softly and reaching for an embrace.

Ray shook his head, unable to hold the tears and then engulfed his best friend in a brotherly hug. "I am sorry, Marty. I am so terribly sorry. I ruined everything… I screwed up big time…"

"It's ok, brother. It's ok. We're good…" The blond kid whispered, burying his face in the other's boy's shoulder, barely keeping the sobbing at bay.

They were still like that when a fake cough interrupted them. They broke apart and Deeks stared, even more embarrassed at the woman.

"Mrs. Blye, I… don't know what to say to thank you. I will repay you till the last cent. I…"

"Marty, you have to thank your friend and my daughter. They made this possible. I only signed some papers." Julia Blye spoke with a calm voice and an unreadable expression.

Marty felt even more out of place now. He cast a grateful stare at his friends, nodding to them and then turned towards Kensi's mum. "Mrs. Blye, I am sorry for the inconvenience. I… I… don't have any right to ask you, but I would like to explain what happened. I made a terrible mistake but I would like to…"

Once again, Julia interrupted him and this time, she gave him a gentle smile. "Why don't you tell me everything in front of something to eat? I think I still have breakfast at home and there's plenty of food for everyone."

Deeks' eyes watered, as everything happened in the last twenty four hours finally took a toll on him. "I'm… I'm sorry, I'm just sorry…" He muttered, before the woman moved towards him and engulfed him in an embrace.

"It's ok, Marty. It's ok… it's going to be ok." She gently stroked his hair with one hand while making soothing circles on his back with the other. "Come on, lets' get out of here." She said, guiding the sobbing kid out of the room, followed by Ray and Kensi who were barely holding their own tears.

* * *

During the trip to Kensi's house Deeks didn't say a single word in spite of everyone's attempt to make him talk. He seemed lost in his own world. He only asked about Monty, visibly relaxing when Kensi told him that his dog had been taken care of and he was waiting for him to come home.

Disturbed and feeling extremely guilty because of his friend's silence, Ray wanted to go home, but first Julia and then Kensi begged him to stay with them, since he was the one who knew Marty better than anyone and knew how to deal with him. The problem was that at this point, the older kid didn't trust himself and he was very mad at himself. All of this trouble was his fault and his fault only.

After about a half an hour they finally arrived at the Blye's residence. It was a very nice house, so different from the ones the boys were used to.

"Please, don't be shy. Come inside." Julia told them, opening the door. As soon as she did though, a little ball of fur excitedly walked out and started dancing around Deeks.

"Monty!" He said, kneeling to pet his royal companion. "I missed you, buddy. I… I am sorry that I didn't take care of you, I hope you can forgive me." He had tears in his eyes while saying these words. The blond kid was exhausted, physically and emotionally and even if he tried hard, he was not able to contain the tears when the weight of what happened last night was hunching his shoulders, almost crashing him. Wiping his eyes with the sleeve of his jacket, Marty lifted his head and thanked Kensi who was standing just a few feet away from him, like she wanted to check on him, afraid that he could fall. "Thank you, for… well for Monty, for… for everything. I… I am…"

She knelt next to him, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. "It's ok. It was my pleasure and… and you left me the keys to your apartment. I thought I could make good use of them." She gave him a big smile, locking her mismatched eyes on his blue ones, trying to read what was going on in his soul.

Deeks bit his lip nervously and fighting the ache in his whole body, he straightened himself up. "I… I owe you a lot, Kens. To you and to your mum and I… I don't know if I deserve it. I… it's… it's such a mess." A sob shook him and Kensi did the first thing that passed through her mind, she hugged him, guided his head to her shoulder, allowing him to cry and release all the accumulated tension.

Ray watched the entire scene and his heart broke once again, knowing that all the pain his best friend was feeling and living through was just because he royally screwed things up, because he was so stubborn to not listen. He passed a trembling hand over his face, trying to think about a way to set things straight.

Julia had been informed by her daughter about what happened, about Marty's situation and was very happy that Kensi was so supportive towards the boy. She had made some mistakes with her daughter when her husband died and for a moment she thought that she was going to lose her, but abandoning your kid when he was barely a baby, in such a turbulent period of his life was something that she would never do and that she didn't understand. When Kensi asked if she could help her friend, explaining everything to her, she had been glad to do something for him. "Why don't you come inside? I can still smell breakfast…" She stepped through the door and disappeared for a moment, climbing the stairs that led to the bedrooms.

"Come on, Deeks. I bet you're starving and I think you need to eat something before you take your medication." Kensi was still holding his hand, like she was afraid that if she let him go, he would disappear from her view and from her life. "Ray, you too." She added, but the other boy seemed hesitant.

"I… I don't think I can. I… Marty I can't. It's my fault, I… screwed up and now, you… I am sorry, I should have listened to you and I know I promised you to keep your secret, but… I couldn't leave you in that place…" Ray was babbling incoherently, unable to look at his friend. "I ruined everything, I… I ruined your life and I understand that you don't want to have anything to do with me anymore. I… I better go and try to find a way to fix this mess…" He walked backwards, moving towards the exit of the property.

Deeks was silent for a moment, processing what he had just heard, then he limped towards his best friend with a determined expression painted on his face. "You're an idiot, Ray… if only you'd listen to me…"

The older boy bit his lip, closing his eyes, on the verge of crying.

"…but you didn't force me to do anything. It's your fault as much as it's mine." Without adding anything else, Marty gave Ray a hug, in their brotherly way. It was the last straw because Ray started crying like a child.

"Will you ever forgive me, Marty? I'm an asshole, I know… please forgive me if you can…."

A deep sigh escaped Deeks' mouth. "There's nothing to forgive. We're brothers… for life, don't you remember?"

"Thank you, little brother… thank you…" Martindale was holding Deeks so tightly, his friend was finding it hard to breathe.

"It's ok, Ray… but can you let me go please? I can't breathe and these freaking ribs are killing me…" Marty panted once he was released from the embrace, massaging his ribcage hoping to push the pain away.

"Oh hell, I'm sorry… I was not thinking…"

"You never think…" Deeks murmured weakly. He was truly in pain, but wanted to hide it. "But I still love you…"

Kensi sighed in relief when she saw her two friends relax a little. She was aware that there was still a lot that they needed to discuss, but at least they would do it like brothers and not enemies. "Come on you two… let's go inside!"

"Ok, brother, what do you think if I give you a hand, you look like you need one." Ray passed his arms around Deeks' waist and allowed him to lean on his shoulders. "And that pretty girl of yours is absolutely bossy but damn great."

The blond kid cast a furtive glance at Kensi and smiled fondly. "Yes… she is…".

The three teenagers walked into the house right when Julia was making the last step, climbing down the stairs. "Marty, I thought you might need to change your clothes." She cast a look at her daughter who nodded promptly. "These were my husband's. They might not be new but I think they will fit you."

Deeks' eyes looked for Kensi's. He knew that he was stepping into Kensi's special someone's shoes. He knew how much she had loved and respected her father and how important his figure still was for her. Reaching for her was his way to ask for permission.

Once again, after the nod she had given her mother, Kensi closed her eyes and silently told Marty that it was ok, that she was not making any tantrum because of her father's clothes. "I'll show you to the bathroom."

Marty followed her to the bathroom and before they could reach it, he asked. "How's Callen? Is there any news?"

"Sam called and said that the doctors are very optimistic, that he could wake up any minute now."

A relieved smile curled his lips before he turned serious again. "Kensi, I… I wanted to apologize. I… I lied about… about my mother, I didn't want to, but…"

She didn't let him finish. She put a finger on his lips, silencing him. "I don't mind, Ray explained it to me. I understand why you did it…, I don't need to forgive you, but… but…" Her voice cracked a little. "Don't you ever scare me like that again… hell Deeks, I thought that you…"

Deeks held her in his arms, caressing her hair. "I'm sorry, Kens. I am sorry I worried you…"

"I don't want to lose you… promise me that you will never do that again? Promise me that you won't do anything so dangerous anymore."

"Kens, I… I don't know if I can. If Ray or you or… any of our friends were in danger, I wouldn't hesitate to do it again." He realized that this was not what she wanted to hear so he immediately added, "But I can promise you, I will do my best not to act recklessly and not take risk for nothing." He kissed her forehead to seal the deal.

Kensi caressed his face, careful not to hurt him, touching his bruises. "Go and get changed… I am starving."

"Is it supposed to be news? You are always starving!" Marty stated, grinning, picking up the clothes she had placed on a table just outside the bathroom. "I'll be quick…"

She reluctantly let him go, separating from him. "Take your time… and call me if you need anything. I will be right here." She closed the door and leaned against it, waiting.


	8. Chapter 8

As always, thanks to purecraziness for her help and to everyone who's reading this story.

* * *

Chapter 8

"I think I owe you all an explanation." Deeks said gravely, sitting at the table. He didn't have the courage to look at the two women sitting in front of him, too ashamed because of his actions, of his lies.

"You don't have to, Marty." Julia wanted to look at him straight in the eyes, to tell him that he was not obliged to do anything he didn't want to do, but the boy was avoiding eye contact and was nervously playing with the tablecloth.

"No, I… you've been… you all have been so nice with me and I owe you that at least."

Kensi observed Marty, sensing the tension that was gripping his muscles and his whole body. She stretched her hand to reach for his, but he retreated from her touch. "Deeks…" She murmured without any hint of disappointment, but with deep concern.

"I think it's already known to everyone in this area that I… that I shot my father. He was not… hell he still is since he's not dead, a nice person, for sure not a father a boy would dream of." Deeks let out a heavy sigh, like he was dragged back into his memories, into a past he would gladly forget about. "He liked to drink and release his frustration on my mother and me. I don't even remember when and why it started anymore, but one night he was… he was just a drink away from killing us. He was yielding a shotgun at us and… well, long story short, I shot him first. He is in jail now and I hope he is there for a long, long time." He had tears in his eyes, because no matter how much he hated his father for what he did to him and to his mother, the man was still his father, someone Marty always wanted to be loved by. "When my mother and I recovered from that experience, physically at least, we came back home. I hoped things would start to get better, but… I was wrong. I was so damn wrong!" His voice couldn't hide the anger and his hands clenched around the fabric of the tablecloth until his knuckles whitened.

"Marty, if you don't want to go on, I… I can do it for you." Ray intervened, putting a hand on his best friend's shoulder, supporting him and making him feel his presence.

Deeks simply shook his head and continued. "I wanted to have a normal life so bad and finally it was mine and my mother's chance to do it, but… but she… she tried, I am sure that she tried to do her best, but without my father she was lost. She continued working two jobs to keep us going and I started working myself at the surf shop. We didn't have enough money and people looked at us strangely. I… could see their eyes on me, I could hear their comments. They made me feel like a monster because of what I did. And my mum… well she… she started looking at me differently as well. And before I could even realize it, she started blaming me for our miserable life, for the fact that my father was in jail and not with us. She stopped talking to me, actually she ignored me completely. It was like I didn't exist… she stopped cooking for me, doing laundry…. I… I didn't exist anymore. I learned to take care of myself and if it wasn't for Ray and Monty, I'd probably be dead by now."

There was a chilling silence in the room; both Julia and Kensi were barely holding the tears while Ray was biting his lip and clenching his fists remembering that period.

"One day I came home from school and I had a strange feeling, I knew something was going to happen and sadly I was not wrong. Her room has been cleaned, all of her clothes and possession were gone. It was like she had never lived in the apartment. She was gone, without a word, without an explanation. I… I was… I am not mad at her, because I know what she went through. It was hard for her too, I know that… and I… I still hope that one day I can come home and she is there, waiting for me, giving me one of her kind and sweet smiles, telling me how proud she is of me and how much she loves me…" Tears were falling copiously now and he didn't have any intention to stop them.

Kensi was not able to see him like this, it broke her heart, and so she got up and moved towards him, hugging him tightly, allowing him to cry in her arms like a little kid. Julia was so proud of her daughter in that moment. She had wanted to do the same but Kensi had just preceded her by a mere second.

"Marty knew that if he told someone his mother was gone, social services would take him away from here, from his apartment… well from me and Monty and they would put him in foster care, so we came up with this idea, of going on like nothing had happened." Ray continued the explanation. "We both knew that it was a hazard but there was no harm in trying and to our surprise, it worked, until last night… until I royally screwed up. Now that… that the police are involved they will find out that his mother is no longer in his life and he's still too young to live on his own…"

"No! They can't do that… Mum, we have to do something. I don't want them to take him away. His life is here…" Kensi was looking at her mother with begging eyes while she continued holding Deeks in her arms, comforting him. "Why don't you call Evan? He's a lawyer, maybe he can do something… maybe he can…"

"Sweetie, you know it's not that easy, that the law exists for something." Julia knew her words sounded harsh and probably disappointed her daughter, but sadly she was aware of how these things were going. When a kid was involved, things were never easy.

"Mum, you can't truly think like that. If you're not going to call Evan I will do it myself, I won't allow anyone to…" Kensi was still talking when Deeks interrupted her.

"Kensi, don't. Please…" He told her with a feeble voice. "Don't fight with your mother because of me. She… she is right. I knew this was coming sooner or later. I never had anything that lasted in my life and this is another example… I am ready to accept what's going to happen. At least I had the chance to know you…" He whispered, trying to smile.

"No, no, no… don't say that. Don't give up… please." She pleaded, unable to hold the tears any longer. "Why? Why do all of the people I care about leave me sooner or later?"

Deeks, ignoring the fact that Julia was in the same room, tenderly kissed Kensi's forehead, leaving his lips on her skin longer than he had planned, inhaling her scent. "I am not going to disappear, maybe I will be just a little farther…"

"No… no… it will never be the same…" She broke away from him and rushed out of the room.

Marty got up trying to run after her, but as he did it, everything started spinning around him and before he could even realize it, everything went black.

"Marty!" Ray yelled, picking him up just in time so that he didn't fall to the ground.

Julia moved quickly to the other side of the table, checking on the exhausted kid. "Here, let me help you with him." She told the older boy. "He needs to rest, in bed. I prepared a room for him upstairs. Can you give me hand to take him there?"

"Of course, but… what about Kensi?" Ray asked worried and surprised that this woman who was almost a complete stranger to them was so willingly helping them.

"I know where she is right now, it's the same place she goes to when she needs some time to herself. She's not that far away… but thanks for the concern." The woman nodded as she put Marty on his feet.

"I am the one who needs to thank you, Mrs. Blye. For everything…"

"Oh it's my pleasure. I just wish I could do something more." Julia sighed heavily, truly believing what she was saying.

"Is your friend really a lawyer?" Ray asked seriously with an expression that couldn't hide his deep concern.

The woman chuckled, shaking her head. "You truly care about him, don't you?" She saw the boy nod gravely. "Evan is a criminal defense lawyer. This whole situation is a bit out of his league, but I think that I might give him a call."

Ray's face brightened, like he had just received the best gift ever. "Did you hear that brother? Mrs. Blye is calling a lawyer… don't lose your hope Marty, don't give up yet, little brother."

Julia watched the exchange and her heart melted at the deep affection between the two boys who were ready to do everything to help each other and she promised herself that she would do whatever was possible to help them. They deserved happiness after everything life had thrown at them.

* * *

He blinked repeatedly to put images into focus, regretting it immediately when his eyes protested vehemently because of the suddenly light. Callen groaned, shifting slightly in bed.

"Oh Thank God, you are awake sweetie…" The familiar voice of Jo-Ann Harrington reached his ears but he couldn't understand the deep worry coming from it.

"I'll go get the doc."

Another familiar voice echoed in his head. Why was Sam here with Jo-Ann? What happened? He cracked his eyes open once again and G realized he was not at home but in a place he didn't recognize at first, but the smell of anesthetic pervading his nostrils gave it away. Hospital? He tried to straighten up but his whole body protested and pain spread through every cell of it. "What… what happened?" He croaked, finding hard to talk because of a dry throat.

Jo-Ann picked up a glass of water with a straw and offered it to her boy, as the nurses had instructed her to do. "Here, drink this. It will help." She said gently, giving him the kindest smile ever.

Callen drank avidly, slightly lifting his head, then sank back into the pillow. "Why am I at the hospital?" He asked again, confusion could be easily read on his face.

Mrs. Harrington was a bit unsure on whether to tell him the truth or not, but she decided to not lie because it might be counterproductive with someone like G who still had a lot of trust issues because of his past. Honesty was the key with him. "You don't remember, do you?" She sighed heavily when the boy shook his head. "You were going to school, stopping by the bakery to get breakfast for your friends, when…"

Suddenly, memories came to Callen's mind and everything was clear. "Those guys wanted my money… and when I… I didn't want to give it to them, they… they beat the crap out of me…" His voice cracked a little as the pain in his ribs reminded him of what exactly happened with those boys. "Sorry, bad language…"

Jo-Ann sat on the bed next to him, gently caressing his face. "It's ok. Bad language is allowed in this occasion." She smiled but then immediately turned serious. "They did beat the crap out of you and we were so worried about you…" Tears veiled her gentle eyes.

"You… you were worried… about me?" He was almost shocked by this revelation because it was something new to him.

"Of course we were. Kevin, Jennifer, and I were so concerned… well I might say we were deadly scared when the police called to tell us about what happened to you. And your friends… well, they've been here since the doctors sent them home because only family was allowed in the room with you. They spent the whole afternoon here waiting for news about you."

The boy swallowed hard. He never imagined that people would truly care for his well-being. "Was it… am I…"

"You're going to be fine, sweetie. The doctor said that with the right amount of rest you will be fine soon. You need to take it easy though, because you have a couple of broken ribs that need to be taken care." Jo-Ann reassured him immediately.

It was in that moment that Sam came back with a man on his tail, probably the doctor. "I am glad to see you awake, young man. I'm Dr. Morrison and I took care of you when you were first admitted."

"So I think I have to… thank you?" Callen said weakly, his strength was slowly fading away.

The doctor burst out laughing and it was such a nice, kind laugh. "No, no need to thank me, kid. I just did what I had to do and I am glad that you are here talking to me after what you went through." He turned towards Sam and Mrs. Harrington. "Now, if you'll excuse me for just a second, I need to check on this young man, would you mind waiting outside for a moment please?"

Jo-Ann got up hesitantly, grabbing her purse from the chair she occupied during the long wait. "I think I… I need a coffee and to call home to tell my husband and daughter that G's awake and he's going to be fine" The smile on her face couldn't get any wider. "Would you like to keep me company, Sam?"

"Of course." The big boy cast a furtive glance at his friend, trying to avoid eye contact.

Callen frowned because of Sam's weird behavior, sensing that his friend was hiding something to him. "See you later Sam?" He told him with an interrogative stare.

Sam bit his lip, putting on a smile. "Yes… sure… later…" He patted G's hand and then walked outside.

Callen sighed heavily, grimacing when his ribs made themselves noticeable. "So doc, what's the verdict?"

Dr. Morrison checked his charts, nodding genuinely. "Don't worry, you're really going to be fine…" He smiled kindly and started his examination.

An hour later, Callen was sleeping peacefully after the doctor had completed his check up and was satisfied with the way he was responding to treatment.

Sam was sitting at his bedside, alone in the room. Mrs. Harrington went home to take a shower and he offered to give G some company while waiting for her and her family's return. The Harringtons were a very nice family and he couldn't be happier for his friend to have them in his life, because he needed them more than he wanted to let on. Callen had gone through such a rough childhood and finally having someone kind and stable around him was a nice change.

The big boy was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't notice that his best friend was staring at him with puzzled expression.

"A penny for your thoughts…" The injured kid said, taking a long deep breath and wincing at the sudden movement of his ribcage.

"Hey there, I thought you were sleeping." Sam smiled but immediately bowed his head, nervously licking his lips with his tongue.

Callen pushed himself up, ignoring the pain, and put himself in a more seated position so he could look at his friend straight in the eyes. "Oh come on Sam, cut the crap! Why are you acting so weird? I know you and I know that you're worried about something and that something is not me, so spit it out… now."

"Look, I… everything is fine. You just need to rest and recover quickly. We are all waiting for you." The big boy stated, trying to smile, but the smile didn't reach his eyes. "The guys have been worried about you. They were here until the doc sent them home." His voice had an edgy tone that didn't go missed by his friend.

"Oh hell, Sam! Stop it! I can feel that something is bothering you and the fact that you're trying to hide it makes me even angrier, so now, tell me what's wrong with you or I will get up from this bed and find out myself!" The long speech tired the boy more than he expected, but he couldn't show his weakness, not now at least, if he wanted answers.

Sam passed his hand over his face, inhaling deeply. "I'm not going to win this one, am I?" When he received a simple shake of the head as an answer, he bowed his head, closing his eyes, feeling defeated. "I… I called Kensi because she asked me to update her on your condition and she… well, something happened last night."

His tone was grave and serious, so serious that it chilled Callen's bones.

"Sam, what happened last night? Are the guys ok? Please tell me!" G tried to push himself into a sitting position but agony spread through his chest, making him cringe and cy out.

"Wow, easy there. Here, let me help you." His friend guided him back on the pillow, making him comfortable again. "Now here's the deal. I'll tell you everything, but you have to promise me to stay calm and relaxed. You need to rest if you want to recover quickly and get the hell out of this place soon!" He winked cunningly, knowing Callen's aversion for hospitals.

"Just start talking… I promise I'll be good." G panted, trying to regain control over his body.

"Promise me you won't do anything stupid as soon as you hear about it though… promise me!" Sam almost begged.

Callen could see how distressed his friend was; whatever happened had a deep impact on the usually controlled Sam. "I… I promise, but stop beating around the bush and get straight to the point."

Sam got up, unable to stay still, sighing heavily. "According to what Kensi told me, it seems that Ray found out who… who did this to you. Apparently he knew these guys, they had… history… Deeks and him had history with them."

A knot formed in G's stomach. He just had a bad feeling. "Sam, what the hell happened to Ray? What did he do?"

"Ray called Deeks because he wanted to get revenge on these guys. At first Deeks didn't want anything to do with this, realizing that those guys were… dangerous…"

"Sam, what the hell happened?" Callen's voice raised as his worry grew greater.

"Deeks and Ray sneaked into this gang's property and tried to steal the leader's car, but they got caught…" Sam paused, looking at his friend for the first time since the conversation started. "I don't know all the details, but Kensi told me that they've been roughed up. Fortunately or unfortunately the cops showed up and arrested everyone in the place."

"What? What the hell were those two thinking? Are they insane?" G shifted in bed, feeling a sense of guilt pervading him. His friend got in trouble because they wanted to get revenge for him and look at what they gained instead.

"G, you know those two… they are instinctive, doing the first thing that crosses their minds. And between me and you, I think that we don't know the whole story." Sam immediately tried to calm his friend and reassure him. Knowing Callen as well as he did, the big boy was aware of what his best friend might think and of the guilt that might consume him.

"Where are they now? And are they ok?"

"From what I know, they are not hurt very bad. Ray is at home since his mother bailed him out but Deeks…" Sam paused unsure of how to continue.

"What about Deeks, Sam? What happened to him?" Callen insisted, unable to stay still.

"From what Kensi told me, he spent the night in jail and this morning he was still there."

"In jail… wait, why is he still there? Couldn't his mum bail him out as much as Ray's?" G was starting to feel very uneasy, like something big was coming. "If it's about money, we can collect it and get him out…"

Sam's face darkened and he closed his eyes, breathing deeply. "I wish it could be that easy."

"Sam, now tell me, what the hell are you talking about?"

"G, Ray told Kensi that… well… oh heck! There's no mother, G. Deeks' mum left two years ago and he's been living on his own since then!" Sam snapped in a mix of anger, sadness, and disappointment. "There is no one who can get him out of jail… no family at all."

Callen felt like someone had just slapped him on the face again. "Oh hell…"

* * *

Julia climbed up the ladder that led to the tree house. It had been Kensi's hideout since she was four when things didn't go as she wanted and when she needed to think. Her father built it for her and it was their special place since the moment he had nailed the last piece of wood onto it. At first Julia had felt a bit jealous about the close relationship Donald and Kensi had, but then she realized that there could be a place for her too, that she could have a different role in her daughter's life. Too bad she had to take that place too soon when her husband tragically died in a car accident. How ironic life was. He did hundreds of missions as a marine, dangerous and lethal, but he always survived them only to die driving his car, just a couple of blocks away from home.

Kensi was devastated when she received the news and after the funeral she ran away from home. Julia always suspected that it was mostly to punish her for not being her father and for not being the same kind of parent Donald had been for her. Fortunately, after days in which she was desperate, the police found Kensi and brought her home. The two women talked and fought for days, telling each other everything that crossed their minds, and slowly they started to understand each other and now their relationship was more solid than it was before. They still argued and had different opinions on almost everything, but now they both knew where they stood and that they could count on each other.

Along the years, Julia had learnt not to feel like an intruder coming up here to the tree house, and even Kensi took it a little lighter than before.

"Hey sweetie, I knew you'd be here." The mother said, approaching her daughter and sitting next to her, gently stroking her hair.

Kensi was on the floor, her legs bent to her chest while her arms embraced her knees. Her head was leaning against them. She had puffy eyes, a clear sign that she had shed more than one tear.

"Would you like to talk about it?" Julia asked without stopping what she was doing. She knew her daughter found the simple gesture calming and relaxing.

Kensi simply shook her head, her stare never leaving the spot she was fixing it upon until a moment before.

Her mother sighed deeply and then guided her into her embrace. "Oh sweetie, I know you're hurt and scared because you don't want to lose your friend, but you heard Marty…"

The girl pushed her mother away. "No! Don't say that. It will never be the same if they… if they take him away. It can't be the same…" Tears filled her eyes and she cursed herself for being so weak. "And another person I care will leave me. First it was dad, then Jack, now…"

"Oh Kensi, no, don't talk like this. You know very well that your dad would have never left you if he had a choice on that and Jack… well it was his loss. He had the chance to stay but he chose to go away with his parents, he was probably not the right boy for you, it was better that he went away." Julia tried to reach for her daughter who was sitting a few feet away from her, holding herself tightly.

"Mum, this doesn't change the fact that Jack decided that moving to New York was better than staying with me after he told me that he was my best friend and he… well that he… felt something for me. He might not be the right guy for me, but it hurt… and it still hurts. It's not nice to feel rejected! He was an asshole, but I cared for him…" She took a long deep breath before continuing, "And now that I've allowed myself to care for someone else, he's going to leave me again…" A sob escaped from her lips and once again she tried to turn her back to her mother, not wanting to be touched, to be pitied.

Julia's heart broke from seeing her daughter so sad and so distressed but she smiled at her stubbornness, something else she inherited from her father. A deep sigh escaped her lips. Kensi was so much like Donald and sometimes for Julia it was like dealing with him again. At least she knew how to do it. Slowly, she approached Kensi, placing a hand on her head, starting to gently caress her hair with slow movements, and then when she saw her daughter's shoulders lose a bit of the tension gripping, she guided her into an embrace.

At first, Kensi resisted it, but minute after minute she felt something going to pieces inside of her. "Why mum? Why do they always leave me? What's wrong with me? What did I do wrong to be left all these times?"

"No, you didn't do anything wrong sweetie." Julia turned her daughter so she could look at her straight in the eyes. She stroked her hair, moving a lock behind her ears, in a tenderly and motherly gesture. "Sadly, things don't go always as we want, but we have to take the best of everything that has been thrown at us." A lonely tear rolled down her cheek as she spoke. "I miss your father dear, every day, every moment of my life, but I hold on to all the good memories, to all the moments we shared that no one will ever be able to take away from me. And I know that you do the same…"

"But I miss him, like the first day." Kensi protested, behaving once again like the stubborn, determined girl she was.

"And you will miss him for the rest of your life, because he was such an important part of yours and my life… but at least we had the chance to spend time with him and to know that he loved us more than his own life."

The girl knew that what her mother was saying was true but the deep void she felt in her heart was consuming and she burst out crying in Julia's arms.

"I know dear, I know… it's hard, but I know he's looking at you right now and he wants nothing more for you than to be happy."

"But how can I be happy if all the people I care about are taken away from me? I know I sound childish, but I really care for Deeks mum, he is… he's my best friend and probably the person who knows me more than anyone else. He always knows what I'm thinking and… I… I need him around. I need him…"

Julia's expression softened because it was rare that her daughter opened up in this way with her but even with anyone else. If Kensi felt that away about Marty it means that he was truly important for her, that he was truly special because Kensi never said anything lightly. "Look, first you don't know yet if social services will come and get him. Maybe things will remain the way they are and nothing will change…"

"And what if they do change instead? Deeks doesn't have anyone, but his life is here. His friends are here… he has a life here." The teenager was on the verge of crying again, but this time it was not for her that she was doing it. It was for Deeks.

"Ok, no, listen to me Kensi Marie Blye. That boy needs you and now more than ever. When you ran away, he wanted to follow you but literally fainted in his friend's arms. He needs to rest if he wants to get well and get his strength back, so you have to be strong for him. Do you think you can do it?" Julia asked, cupping her daughter's face, receiving a nod from her as an answer. "Good, very good. And, just because I know how much he means to you, I am going to call Evan, but I can't promise you anything. You know that this is not his field of expertise…" She hadn't finished talking yet when Kensi engulfed her in a tight embrace.

"Oh thank you mum! This is great! I am sure Evan can find a way to help us… ehm help him. Oh mum, this is great…"

"Hey, I told you that I can't promise you anything, so just try to keep it quiet, ok?" A big, amused smile curled the woman's lips from seeing so much joy in her daughter's eyes.

"Ok, ok…" Kensi kissed her mother on the cheek and moved towards the ladder.

"Hey, where are you going in such a rush?"

"Mum, you said that Deeks fainted and that he needs me… so I am going to go and check on him. I am not going to leave him alone. Not for a single moment!"

Julia wanted to add something, but before she could even say a single word, Kensi was already gone. She sighed deeply, passing a hand through her long brown hair. "Don, please, if you can do something… it's time to do it, for our little girl. She deserves some happiness… so please, help her. Help us… please…" She wiped away the tear rolling down her face, then composing herself, she followed her daughter's steps.

* * *

And I am off to vacation now... :)) so see you soon!


	9. Chapter 9

Stopping by to say hi and to leave a new chapter. As always thank you for reading and big, big thanks to purecraziness for her help.

* * *

Chapter 9

Kensi sat beside the bed, watching Deeks sleep. He had just calmed down after wrestling with the sheets for at least fifteen minutes, mumbling words that she was not able to understand. She had tried to wake him up, to take him away from the nightmares that were haunting him, but in vain. At least her gentle touch, her caresses had managed to make him relax and now his breathing was even and his face more peaceful. He looked even younger and even more defenseless now.

She took a moment to think about him, about his childhood, about his life. She had always thought that losing her father so soon was bad, but now the word bad assumed a complete different meaning. Deeks' life had been a real nightmare and she could not even start to imagine how he survived, becoming the boy he was today. Looking at him from the outside, people might say that he had a normal childhood surrounded by caring parents. He had this light in his eyes, this sparkle that could brighten even the darkest room in spite of the darkness consuming his soul. How could he do that? How could he be so cheerful and so nice after everything he's been through? How much strength did he need to do what he did without breaking into pieces?

Without realizing it, she found herself holding his hand with one of hers while the fingers of the other one ran through his golden locks, gently stroking his hair. She craved for a touch, still remembering the kiss they shared last night before everything went crazy. Kensi didn't know why, but even if at first she couldn't stand him, she felt like she and Deeks were connected in some sort of way, that there was something between them, something special. She was aware that they were just teenagers in full hormonal crisis, but there was something more than hormonal attraction between them. It was hard to explain but she could feel it, deep in her soul. She had never felt so close to anyone like she was with Deeks, it was like he was a part of her… and that he had always been a part of her.

Her fingers traced the lines of his face, tenderly caressing him until they joined her other hand, still intertwined with his. She closed her eyes to take a long breath the exact moment he decided to wake up.

"It was nice… why did you stop?" Marty murmured, staring straight at her with a kind smile planted on his tired face.

Kensi blushed a little, not expecting his reaction. "Maybe I should punch you instead… if it makes you feel more normal."

Deeks' expression changed and became very serious. "I'm… I'm sorry, Kensi." He retreated his hand from hers and tried to straighten up in bed, grimacing when his ribs made themselves noticeable. "Damn it…" He muttered between ground teeth.

"Hey, take it easy… you…" She approached him in order to help him, but once again, he stopped her from touching him. "Deeks, don't…"

"I'm truly sorry, Kensi. I… I messed things up and now… I…" He wanted to tell her a lot of things. He had hated the way she had looked at him when he was telling her the truth, when he was telling her that he might be forced to leave. If there was something that Deeks truly couldn't stand, it was Kensi's sad eyes. It broke his heart.

She silenced him by placing a finger on his lips. "Ssshhh, I… I understand why you did it and I… I don't want to spend the time we have together arguing or being sad. I want to spend my time with you, being here with and for you, because… because I…"

Deeks saw her struggle with her words, so he used his good hand to push himself into a sitting position and then, after cupping her face, he placed his lips on hers, kissing her sweetly. When they broke apart, he rested his forehead on hers while their eyes were locked on each other's. "I want to spend my time with you as well…" He was smiling, but it was a sad one.

"What? What's wrong Deeks?" She asked, worried by his sudden mood change.

"I… I lied to you and I feel so bad about it. And I don't want to leave you… I don't want to see you sad. You deserve to be happy, Kensi, and I… I… I fear that you're going to be sad because of me, because I was an idiot. If only I didn't make the mistake to go for The Vipers, if only I was able to protect Ray, if only I was not so stupid to get caught…" Deeks was shaking while talking, his hands were trembling and his whole body was aching because of that.

"No, no… no," Kensi tried to reassure him. "Don't say that. You don't have to feel guilty about this situation. What you have to do is try to get some rest and recover from your injuries. Do you have any idea of what those guys could have done to you and Ray? You could have been hurt, much more than you are now. Don't you remember what they did to Callen? They could have… they could have killed you…" She was putting in a lot of effort, hoping that she was not going to cry, but it was very hard.

"It doesn't change the fact that I should have prevented all of this so maybe I wouldn't be forced to… to leave…" His voice cracked as he reached for Kensi's hand.

"We're going to fight it, Deeks. Mum is going to call her friend. He's a lawyer and he will help you first with the whole burglary accusation and then for the… well for your personal situation." She was not able to say it out loud, but she was terrified of the idea that someone could come and take Deeks away from here, away from his friends… from her.

His lips curled into a gentle smile, the smile she had fallen in love with. His eyes softened as he caressed her face with the back of his hand. "We all know how this story is going to end, but… I… I promise you that whatever happens, I'm not going to disappear from your life. I want you to know that I'm not going to leave you, not voluntarily. I screwed up too many things, but I am not going to screw things up between us. I care about you Kens, more than I care about myself. I've made a lot of mistakes, but I don't want to make any more mistakes when it comes to you…" His eyes watered, becoming an even more intense blue. "Do you… do you trust me?" There was uncertainty in his words. In his life, he never imagined asking this question to anyone, sure that no one would ever trust him, the monster who shot his father.

Kensi lost herself in them, unable to take her glance away. "I trust you with everything, Deeks. Since that first night at your apartment, I knew you were not what you showed to other people, that there was much more of you behind the appearance, that you were more than you wanted people to see. I trust you, like I've never trusted anyone…"

Marty felt a knot forming in his throat and the words he wanted to say, simply died. "Kens… I…" He swallowed hard, trying to collect himself. "Why are you so good to me? I lied to you, I betrayed your trust, why are you still caring about me? Trusting me?"

She lightly punched his arm, like she always did, giving him a sense of normality, showing him that nothing had changed between them. "Now, listen to me, you pighead! You lied to me as much as you lied to the whole world, except Ray, but you did it because you simply wanted a normal life and you wanted to live it in your own way. You…" She placed the palm of her hand on his cheek, locking her mismatched eyes on his blue ones. "You went through a lot and you deserve a happy life. You did what you did to have a chance at happiness… because you didn't want other people, people who don't know anything about you, to control your life."

"But what if I was wrong? What if I… what if I found a nice family like the Harringtons? You don't think that I threw away my chance to have a real family?" There was so much uncertainty, so much insecurity in his voice that it almost broke Kensi's heart. It said a lot about his actual mental state.

Kensi's hand moved to his chest, right on his heart. "Your heart is the only one who knows the answer to your questions. Your heart is the only one that knows what's best for you."

"I…" His eyes fell down to the sheets still covering him. "I only know that I don't want to leave this place… that I don't want to leave Ray and the guys. That I don't want to leave you…"

Kensi didn't reply. She simply engulfed him in a warm embrace. "So we will fight, Deeks. No matter what they say. You are not going anywhere…" She broke the hug to kiss him. "Because now that I've found you, I don't want to lose you!"

* * *

They remained like that, in each other arms, for a long time, finding comfort in each other presence.

They didn't notice the silent figure watching them from the doorstep. They didn't notice Ray's determined expression. He didn't care how he could help his best friend, but he was ready to do whatever it took to give him the happiness he deserved. Marty was in this situation just because of him, because of his loyalty to him. "If someone is going to pay for this situation, well it won't be you brother. If someone is going to pay, it will be me!"

Ray cast one last glance at his best friend and at the girl who could give him a better life, then, turned on his heels and walked away.

* * *

Three days later, in spite of Kensi and Julia's disagreement, Deeks walked along the corridors of the school with Ray at his side. He knew that the two women only wanted the best for him and he was very grateful for their carefulness, but as he told them, he wanted things to go back to normal as soon as possible. He wanted to feel normal and going back to school was the first step. Sadly, it was not exactly easy when all of the other students' eyes were focused on them, on him.

Both Marty and Ray still carried the signs of the beating they received at the hands of The Vipers and by now, everyone knew what they did.

They were still walking when Sam approached them. It was the first time they've seen each other after the infamous night and they were not sure what the big boy could think about them.

Ray stopped, placing a hand on his friend's chest. "He looks really pissed brother… do you think we should run?"

"Sincerely, I don't think I can even run, Ray, so if you want and if you can, do it. I'll wait here for the inevitable." Deeks replied, locking his eyes on the approaching guy.

"Oh damn it, Marty! Why do you always have to be so melodramatic? It's just Sam… and the guy hates my guts, what can go wrong?" Martindale smirked, but deep inside he was truly afraid. It was notorious that the big boy couldn't stand him and tolerated him only because Callen seemed to like Marty a lot.

"Well, I think we're going to find out very soon." Deeks swallowed hard, licking his lips, seeing Sam halting right in front of him. "Hey Sam, how's…" He couldn't finish the sentence because he was engulfed in a bear embrace.

"Damn it, Deeks! You scared us to death." The big boy said, breaking the hug. "What the hell did you and this little idiot here try to do? Get yourselves killed? Wasn't it enough with what those bastards did to Callen? You know you should have called the cops… but no, you had to play heroes!"

"Wow, so… you're not mad at us?" Ray wondered, a bit surprised by the other boy's reaction.

"Oh shut up, Martindale, I am always mad at you. You should know that by now!" Sam remarked, putting up his most serious scolding face. "And you should have kept this one safe…"

The smaller boy released the breath he was holding, happy that Sam was not going to end his existence as he feared until a few moments ago. His expression became serious as he nodded, bowing his head. "I… I know. It's all my fault."

Deeks was caught by surprise by the honesty and the guilt coming through in his best friend's words. He wanted to tell him something but once again, Sam passed his hand behind his neck in a brotherly way, looking at him straight in the eyes.

"How are you feeling Deeks?" He asked, sincerely worried.

"I'm… I'm good." Marty replied shortly, not used to this kind of attention.

"Hey, I'm good too." Ray muttered, turning his face away immediately as the big boy cast a threatening glare at him. "Ok, ok, I shut up… I deserved it." He whispered, thinking that no one heard him, but he was wrong. His best friend heard him clearly and felt a bit sad for him.

"Sam, how's Callen? Kensi told me he's getting better but nothing more than this. I… I wanted to come and visit him, but… well, I… I didn't want to upset him." Deeks bit his lip nervously while holding his ribs that suddenly screamed in pain. He winced but tried to hide his discomfort.

Sam noticed the change in the blond boy's behavior, but decided to say nothing so to not embarrass him. "Callen is doing much better. The doctors are very happy with his improvements and they are thinking about sending him home in a couple of days. He still has a long way ahead of him before being back to running, but he's going to be fine. For real. Actually, he was worried about you and Ray when he heard what you two did."

"Exactly what he needed…" Marty murmured bitterly, clenching his fists.

"Hey, he asked about you. You should call him… he truly wanted to know that you two were safe." Insisted the big boy. He took a moment to study Deeks' face and could read a mix of different emotions that almost overwhelmed him. "Look, Kensi… Kensi told me… she told me about… about it. And you… you have to know that I'm here for you, whatever you need."

Marty lifted his head and his blue eyes locked on Sam's dark ones. Once again he didn't see any kind of judgment, just truth. He felt like a heavy burden was taken away from his shoulders and suddenly he felt lighter. "You are… you are not mad because I… I lied to you?"

"Look, Deeks, we must have started on the wrong foot, I never liked you that much, but slowly, after getting to know you, I've found out that you are not as bad as I thought you were. You will never be my best buddy, but knowing what kind of shitty life you had, I don't blame you for what you did and for lying to me. Actually, I'm more disappointed by the fact that you didn't trust us enough to tell us rather by the fact that you lied to us… but I can understand your reasons and I want you to know that Kensi, Callen, Nell, Eric, and I are here for you, whatever you need…"

Deeks' eyes watered but he tried to keep his composure although it was really hard. "Thank… thank you." He only managed to say.

"Listen, I need to go now, I have chemistry the first hour and you know how Miss Harper is. We… will I see you for lunch?" Sam once again put a hand on Marty's shoulder, squeezing it with affection.

"Of course we will be there for lunch," Ray intervened, sensing his best friend's hesitation.

"I was not talking to you, Martindale!" The big boy snapped angrily, but then his expression softened and his lips curled into a dimpled smile. "But I'm glad you're not that hurt yourself!" And with that, he left.

"He loves me, doesn't he?" The shorter boy asked rhetorically, turning to look at his little brother. "Marty, hey… what's up? Are you ok?"

"What's up? You tell me Ray. You know you can't hide anything from me and I saw the way you behaved with Sam, what you said and the way you said it. So tell me, what was that about? Because in spite of what you want them to believe, I know you have something in mind and… I fear I'm not going to like it!"

Ray passed his hand through his hair, chuckling. "You really are my brother, Marty. We might not be blood related, but I would have never asked for a better brother."

Deeks straightened up, not liking a single bit of this conversation. "Ray, what the hell are you talking about? And why do I have the feeling that you're going to do something incredibly stupid?"

Martindale laughed out loud, patting his friend's back. "I'm not going to do anything stupid, Marty. I just want to do what's needed to fix this mess. It's my fault you've been dragged into it and I am the one who is going to fix it. That's it." Before the taller boy could do anything, Ray engulfed him in a tight embrace. "You know I love you, Marty, and I care about you like I never cared for anyone. You deserve all the best from this life and I'll do everything to give you this happiness." He broke the hug and walked away.

"Ray… Ray wait!" Marty called for him, trying to stop him, but Ray was already gone before he could move a single step. He felt a light touch on his arm and almost jerked.

"Wow, hey, it's just me…" Kensi told him, smiling at him kindly. "Are you ok? You look shaken…"

"It's… I… I'm good, it's just…" Deeks hesitated. He didn't want to sound paranoid, worrying about nothing. Ray was probably just going to try to find help, but deep inside Marty could feel a sense of uneasiness, something he hadn't felt in ages. He shook his head, staring at the gorgeous girl standing in front of him. "Everything is fine now that you're here." He smiled, holding her hand.

Kensi smiled back, but knew that he was hiding something, that he was not showing his true feelings to not worry her, to protect her. "Come on then, I brought breakfast and then sadly, we have class. Mr. Shaznazarian is on the roll with his math nonsense!"

"Oh man, for sure, I didn't miss that…" Marty let her guide him outside. He took a deep breath to try and shake the uneasy feelings Ray's words left him with, but he simply couldn't. He knew his friend too well and he knew he was up to something. "Damn it, Ray, don't do anything stupid. Please!"

* * *

As the hours passed, Kensi could see how tired and how much in pain Deeks was. She was aware that he was not fit to go back to school but on the other hand she understood his desire of normality, something he truly longed for and that he probably needed.

They were in the middle of a boring English class when she saw him lean his head against his desk while holding his ribcage. She didn't need to see his face to know that a wave of pure agony was flowing through his body and his bruised ribs were protesting in pain. Her alarmed face didn't go unnoticed by their teacher, Professor Dominguez.

"Is there anything I should know about, Miss Blye? You seem pretty distracted at the moment. I can understand that English might not be your favorite subject but I…" The teacher was interrupted by Kensi's not so subtle gesture indicating to Marty. He immediately realized what was going on and moved towards the struggling kid. "Deeks… are you all right?" He asked, sincerely worried.

"Why is she Miss Blye and I am just Deeks?" The boy murmured between ground teeth and the whole class couldn't suppress a laugh, but both Kensi and Mr. Dominguez were not fooled by his cocky behavior. "I know that I am not your favorite…" He wanted to finish his sentence but a new wave of pain prevented him from doing it.

The whole class went silent.

"Miss Blye, can you take Mr. Deeks to the infirmary?" The teacher said, putting a lot of emphasis on the word Mister.

"Of course." She got up and immediately rushed towards Marty's desk, helping him on his feet.

In spite of the fact that he was clearly in pain, that he was sweating profusely, he had still enough dignity to stand on his own, without her support. "I am fine…"

"Oh yes, we can see how fine you are, you idiot!" Kensi rebuked to him, shaking her head. "I told you that you should have stayed at home, but you were too stubborn to listen to me."

"Miss Blye, take your time. You don't need to leave him until the doctor checks him out." Dominguez suggested to her, receiving a grateful nod as an answer.

As they were walking outside, Deeks whispered "I have always known that you are his favorite… that old man has good taste though."

"Idiot!" She repeated, rolling her eyes. "I am not going to punch you since you're hurting."

"I am not that bad…" Marty winked, hiding as much of the pain as he could. "And my little act allowed us to skip Dominguez's lesson. Man, I was getting so bored!"

"Marty Deeks, tell me you didn't do it on purpose only to sneak out of the class!" Kensi stopped, placing her hands on her hips. "You scared me back there!"

Deeks smiled, but it was a smile full of pain. "Everything to escape that man…" He murmured before adding in a more serious tone. "But it hurts like hell…" He leaned against the wall for a moment, using his hand as a support.

Kensi was surprised by his honesty and by the fact that he admitted to being in pain, a clear sign that he was feeling really bad. She approached him, gently touching him and offering him a kind smile. "Come on, tough guy, let's get you to the infirmary. Maybe the doc will have something to give you to make you feel better."

Marty reciprocated the smile, giving her one of his infamous grins. "I don't need the doc, I have my painkillers." Once again, he winked cunningly. "I told you I just wanted to sneak out of the classroom with you."

"You're impossible…" She told him, moving closer to him, craving for his vicinity.

"I know, I'm impossible to resist." He was waiting for this moment since they walked out of the room. He leaned towards her and kissed her, deeply and passionately, forgetting his injures and the pain he was still in.

Usually, Kensi was not so open to show what she was feeling, but with Deeks, she found herself unable to resist her feelings and her emotions. In front of him, she was naked and all of her walls were completely gone. She deepened the kiss, passing her fingers through his hair while his tongue explored her mouth.

In that moment, nothing else existed. Everything around them disappeared, leaving the two of them alone with their sentiments, with their feelings for each other.

"Ehm ehm…" A familiar voice interrupted them, forcing them to break apart.

"Principal Lange, good morning," Deeks was the first to say, unable to take the smile away from his face.

"Miss Lange… good morning." Kensi echoed; she was more embarrassed and was not able to hide it. Her hand looked for Marty's though, like he was the source of her strength, of her courage.

"I see that you're feeling better, Mr. Deeks." Hetty said, tilting her head to one side and studying the boy with her scrutinizing eyes hidden behind her glasses.

"Yes, much better. Thanks." Deeks was still grinning when he noticed a man standing a few feet away from the principal, a man he didn't know, but whose look was not promising at all. He instinctively frowned and all of his senses were put on alert.

"Glad you're feeling so much better because in this way you can come with me." The man said with a gruff voice and approaching the two teenagers with an annoying swagger.

"And who the hell are you, mister?" Marty asked, sensing Kensi's hand clenched around his.

"Mr. Deeks! Manners, please!" Miss Lange rebuked to him, pointing her finger at the boy's chest menacingly. "This is Mr. Owen Granger of CPS, would you mind showing him some respect?"

Deeks froze where he stood and he felt Kensi trembling right beside him. He knew that this was going to happen but he hoped that at least he had some more time.

The bell rang signaling the end of the hour and soon the students walked out of the classrooms, talking, chatting, laughing, and unaware of what was going on right in front of them.

"NO!" Kensi almost shouted, holding even tighter on Marty's hand and arm. "You can't… you can't do that!"

"Miss Blye, could you please calm down?" The principal told her, trying to calm her down and avoid all of the school looking at them. She didn't want to create a fuss and was hoping to solve this matter in the quietest way possible.

"No, I don't want to calm down and I don't want him to take Deeks away!" The girl insisted, sounding a bit childish in her behavior.

"Well, you better live with it, my dear girl, because your boyfriend here is going to come with me. I have a written order from the juvenile court to take Martin A. Deeks into custody and take him to the shelter the judge has chosen for him." Granger replied to her coldly, taking out from the internal pocket of his jacket the order from the tribunal.

"No, you can't… he doesn't need to be taken away from here. He belongs here with his friends… you can't do that!" Kensi was trying hard not to cry, but it was tough. Suddenly, she felt like she was losing a part of herself, an important piece of her own life.

"Miss Blye, please, there's no need to make a scene here." Hetty tried to take her away, but the girl wriggled from her touch.

Attracted by the shouts and by the loud voices, Sam first, then Nell and Eric approached the small group.

"What's going on here?" The big boy asked, moving at Kensi's side protectively.

"Sam… they… this man is from CPS, he's here to take Deeks away…" She repeated not liking at all the sound of her words.

Sam cast a wary glance at Deeks, seeing his struggling but resigned expression. "Deeks…"

"It's ok, Sam. I… I knew that sooner or later this was going to happen." The blond kid said, nodding gravely. "Take… take care of her, please?"

"No, damn it, Deeks you can't give up so easily!" Kensi yelled angrily, she needed to release her frustration, her rage because of this situation.

Marty turned towards her, caressing her cheek and wiping away the tears that she was trying hard to hold. "It's ok… I made a promise to you and you know I always keep my word. Don't worry Fern, I'll be back." With a sweet and tender gesture, he gave her a soft kiss on her lips and then, allowed his lips to linger over her forehead as he closed his eyes, inhaling her scent. "Now, please, give me a smile… I need to remember it."

Reluctantly, and only because he asked, Kensi smiled, only for him.

"That's my girl…" He cupped her face, looking one more time into her gorgeous mismatched eyes. "Take care of Monty, ok? I trust you with him…"

"Ok," she murmured, unable to break the contact with him.

Deeks cast a glance at Eric and Nell. "Be good you two, ok? And don't get in trouble."

The two teenagers held onto each other, nodding because words died in their throats.

Then, turning his attention to Sam, Marty whispered, "I… I know that you'll take care of Kensi because she's like a sister to you, but… but do you mind keep an eye on Ray? He… he is not as bad as he looks and he… he will need a friend."

The big boy gave him a sign with his head, biting his lower lip.

"Ok then… I… I think we can go, Granger." Deeks tried to smile, to put up a face, mostly for his friends, for Kensi especially, but deep inside he wanted to scream that he wanted to stay here, that he didn't want to leave. No matter what happened and no matter how many bad things he saw in this place, this was his home, the only home he had ever known.

"About time, kid!" Granger grabbed his elbow and dragged him towards the exit.

Marty watched his friends one last time and a deep void engulfed him from the inside. He was almost at the exit when he caught a glimpse of a familiar figure, of a couple of familiar blue eyes filled with tears.

Ray stared at him, unable to move, shaking like a leaf. "I'm sorry, Marty… I'm so sorry brother…" He only managed to say so that his friend could read his lips. "Forgive me… please forgive me…" He sank on his knees as he watched his best friend being pushed into a dark car and disappear from his view. It was his fault… everything was his fault and Marty was the one paying the high price.


	10. Chapter 10

Thank you all for reading this story and, as always, a big thank you to purecraziness for her help.

* * *

Chapter 10

"Mum!" She yelled desperately, running along the corridor where her mother's office was situated. "Mum!" She repeated, ignoring Cindy, Julia's secretary, and her protests.

"Kensi stop, your mother is busy. She's in a meeting…" The older woman tried to stop the teenager but it was simply impossible because the girl was too determined.

"Mum!" She shouted again, opening the door of her mother's office.

"Kensi!" Julia turned towards her, shocked by the sudden appearance. She was in the middle of an important business meeting with some possible Japanese buyers and the last thing she expected was her daughter jumping right into it. She was ready to scold Kensi, rebuking her for her behavior, when she noticed her puffy eyes and the flushed face. "What are you doing here, Sweetie? What happened?" The mother asked worriedly.

"They took him away mum, they took him away…" Her voice cracked in a mix of anger and sadness, but she managed to hold the tears.

"They took who? And who are they?" Julia for a moment forgot about her clients because of how shaken her daughter looked. She turned towards the Japanese. "I… I'm sorry can you give us a moment?"

The clients fortunately seemed amused by the interruption and nodded, smiling broadly. The youngest woman of the group told the other woman. "We understand Mrs. Blye, we all have children and we all value our families. We can wait a few moments."

"Thank you, Mrs. Yoshida, I truly appreciate it. I will send my secretary so she can get you something to eat or drink while you're waiting. Please accept my apology once again." Julia was touched by the woman's understanding and to show her appreciation, she gave her a curtsy. Then, turning towards her daughter, she led her outside the office.

"Mum, please, have you talked to Evan? What did he say?" Kensi started without giving any further explanation to her mother. She was clearly agitated and her voice was getting louder. "Mum, call him, please. Call him now!"

"Lower your voice, dear. You're making a fuss and the whole building can hear."

"I don't give a damn about the fuss mum!" The teenager protested vehemently, waving her hands in the air.

"Kensi Marie Blye, don't talk like that!" Julia was losing a bit of patience with her daughter. She probably had an idea of what was going on, but this behavior could not be tolerated, not here at least. "And why don't you tell me what happened, starting from the fact that you should be at school right now and not here?"

"Mum, I really need you to call Evan… it's… it's Deeks. He… they… that man…"

The mother guided her daughter into an embrace, realizing that she was almost ready to, figurative speaking, break into pieces. They walked towards a line of chairs. "Come here sweetie…" They sat side by side where Julia waited for Kensi to tell her everything. She could see that her daughter was hurting and this was the last thing she wanted to see. "So, what happened?"

"We… we were at school, Deeks and I were… well I was taking him to the infirmary because he was hurting. That idiot has the tendency of underplaying his injuries and he probably overdid during his first, whole day on his legs. We were just… talking…" Kensi bowed her head a bit embarrassed. She was aware that her mother could read her like a book so she would probably knew what she and Deeks were doing. "Then Miss Lange showed up… but she was not alone. There was a man with her, a man from CPS. He… he took Deeks, mum. He took him away…" She said, barely holding in the tears.

"Oh no, I am so sorry sweetie." Her mum hugged her tightly, gently stroking her hair. "I am really sorry."

"We have to do something… you didn't see him, you didn't see his face when that man was taking him towards the car. He had the expression of someone who has been disappointed and abandoned too many times that he didn't even have the strength to fight anymore. He… he was not Deeks anymore. There was no fight in his eyes, no light… if we don't do anything, he will never be the same, mum, and I don't want him to… live thinking that he's not worthy, that everyone has the right to leave him. He doesn't deserve this… he deserves a bit of happiness, like all of us."

Julia stared straight into her daughter's mismatched eyes and a lonely tear formed in her own. "Your father would be so proud to hear you talking like this. He always taught you to stand up for what you believe in and for the person you care about… and here you are, standing up for Marty and for what you think is right."

She had held the tears until now, but after her mother's words, Kensi couldn't contain herself anymore. She started sobbing, burying her face in Julia's chest.

"Sshhh, don't cry honey, just don't cry." The older woman wiped her daughter's tears away. Then, getting up and moving to her secretary's desk, she picked up the phone and dialed a number.

Kensi observed her and then decided to get up herself and join her. As soon as she approached her mother, she heard her talk.

"Evan, hi, it's Julia.. yes, I'm fine. Of course. Please tell Laura that we accept your offer… yes, Friday night sounds good. Yes, Kensi will be there too…" Julia paused a moment, holding her daughter's hand. "And speaking of Kensi, did you have a chance to look at that case I talked you about? There was a development this morning and…" She paused, listening to what the voice at the other side was saying. "Ok, yes… it's perfect. Why don't you come and meet us at our house at… 4pm, is that good for you? …Ok, see you later then. Bye Evan and thanks."

Kensi watched her mother, biting her lip with trepidation. "So?"

"Evan was going to call me because he has some news for us about Marty's situation. He's going to come along this afternoon."

Her mother hadn't finished her sentence yet when the teenager rushed towards her to hug her. "Thank you mum! You're the best!"

Julia felt a rush of warmness from hearing those words coming from her daughter's lips. "Just don't get your expectations too high. We don't know what Evan's going to tell us and what kind of news he has for us."

"For us?" Kensi tilted her head, looking at her mother mischievously.

"I'm your mother, Kensi, and mother always stick up for their children, no matter what…"

Again, Kensi lost herself in her mother's embrace. "I love you mum… I love you so much!"

"Me too sweetie, me too…" It was the first time in which her daughter had openly expressed her love for her after her father's death. Julia's heart beat madly in her chest and it felt like it was ready to explode. "I love you so much."

* * *

Sam had watched as Ray got up and rushed out of the school as soon as Deeks was taken away by Mr. CPS Granger. His movements were frantic and uncoordinated, a clear sign of his discomfort.

The big boy, remembering the promise he just made to Deeks about keeping an eye on his best friend, decided to go check on him, so he followed the smaller boy outside. He didn't expect to see what was going on in front of his eyes;

Ray had found his way to the backyards where the trash bins were situated and was punching and kicking them violently, cursing between ground teeth, muttering words that no one could understood.

"I don't think that trash bin did anything wrong to you!" Sam started, immediately catching the other boy's attention.

"What do you want, Sammy boy? Can't you see I'm busy? I have a trash bin to kill!" Without even looking at the bigger kid, Ray resumed what he was doing, kicking the litter.

"Killing a trashcan won't make you feel better…" The bigger boy said ironically.

Martindale gave a new, stronger kick and then turned toward Sam, looking at him with eyes puffed with tears but filled with anger. "What the hell do you want, Hanna? Are you here to pity me? Are you here to make me feel even guiltier than I already feel? Well, I have news for you. I am feeling guilty enough and sorry, but whatever you're going to tell me is not going to make it any better!"

The other kid shook his head, moving a step closer. "I'm not here for any of those reasons. I'm here to see how you're holding up since you seemed pretty shaken." Sam locked his eyes on Ray's blue ones, trying to read behind the mask he was wearing. "And Deeks asked me to check on you…"

"Tsk, obviously he asked that…"

The bigger boy moved another step forward. "Ray, Deeks cares for you and mostly, he knows you better than anyone." He paused, taking a long intake of breath. "Listen to me. I know what you're feeling right now, I…"

"You what, Sammy boy? You know nothing! You never knew anything. You don't have the slightest idea of how I feel right now, so please, get the hell out of here and leave me alone!"

"Technically, I can't get out of here since I am already out, at least I could go away from here…" Sam mocked the other boy, hoping that a little humor could get through him. "And, I'm sorry, I made a promise and I'm going to keep my word."

Ray stared at him like he was an alien, frowning and furrowing his brows. "What the heck are you doing? Damn it Sam, you don't even like me! Why should you want to be around me?" His voice was broken and it was clear that he was barely holding back tears.

It was the first time that Ray called Sam by his name and this touched the bigger boy, realizing that finally he was breaking the walls his almost friend was building around himself. "You're right, I don't like you Martindale, but this doesn't mean that I can't help you. I can understand that you're hurting. Deeks is… well, I can't say he's my best friend, but I… I respect him and he didn't deserve it…"

"Mostly, he doesn't need someone like me around… Such a friend I am, I have ruined his life and everything he worked with in the past few years…" Martindale's legs failed him and he found himself sitting on the ground, shaking. He buried his face in his trembling hands, hiding his shame, his pain to the other boy.

Sam didn't expect this reaction. He always considered Ray Martindale as an asshole, a heartless bastard and tolerated him only because he was Deeks' best friend and because Kensi, someone he respected and loved, had a soft spot for the two friends. Seeing him like this, gave the bigger boy a new image… maybe there was something good even in someone like Ray. "You know this is not true. I've never heard Deeks say anything bad about you. Sincerely, I don't know what he sees in you, but I am sure that he deeply cares for you and he considers you a real brother." Sam hoped to see a change in the other kid's posture, but nothing, so he continued, "From what I know, Deeks wouldn't have made it this far without you. He always says that you… you saved him…"

An exaggerated laugh escaped from Ray's mouth. "Oh yes, I saved him. I almost got him killed because of my stupidity. And on top of it, I allowed CPS to take everything he cared for away from him. Such a brother I am…"

"Oh enough!" The big boy lost his patience this time. "Are you listening to what you are saying? You're here, moping and weeping, while your friend is out there, needing your help! Do you really think this behavior is going to help him?"

"It's easy for you to say. You don't know what it is, living like I do, like Marty does! You have your perfect family, you live in your pretty house with a white fence. Do you have any idea of how it is living in fear every day?" Ray's blue eyes went deep into Sam's soul, his voice steady as ever. "Every day when I got home, I was… I was not sure how many punches or kicks my father would give me. The day he left was the best day of my life! Marty's life was even worse. His father was a sick bastard… what kind of father goes at his own son with a shotgun? And when… when Marty was finally free of that monster, his mother decided that he was not worth fighting for anymore. She left him… alone, abandoning him when he needed her the most. Marty is the best thing that's ever happened to me. He has such a big heart, in spite of everything, of all the shit going on in his life. He has always been there for me, keeping me out of trouble… and look at what I did. Look at how I repaid him for his friendship…" He took a long breath, passing his hand over his face. "But I'm going to set things straight… I am going to give him a chance, then I will disappear from his life so he will be able to live happily without being forced to care about me. I am his downfall, but this is going to change."

There was a dark shadow veiling the smaller boy's expression, something that gave Sam chills. Cold shivers ran down his spine just listening to him. "Ray, what the hell do you have planned?" He asked, unable to hide his discomfort and worry. "Why don't I like the tone of your voice?" It was true, there was a hint of desperation in Ray's voice, the same kind of desperation from someone who didn't have anything to lose anymore, from someone who didn't care at all about his own well-being, from someone who would do everything, even go to extreme measures, to get what he wanted. "Ray, tell me you're not going to do something stupid. Don't hurt Deeks even more by putting your life at risk."

The blue-eyed boy chuckled and straightened up. "Sincerely, I don't give a damn about my life if I had to carry this weight." He sighed heavily, bowing his head. "I'm going to do everything, to get Marty back here where he belongs… the rest doesn't count at all for me." He gave Sam a sad look, then without adding anything else, he got up, turned on his heels and walked away.

Sam observed him leaving and a sense of dread invaded his soul. This was not going to end well, he could feel it. He cast a look at the sky, biting his lip. "I swore that I would keep an eye on him for you, Deeks, and I am going to do it, but you owe me big time, Shaggy. Just remember that!" He passed a hand over his tired face and then, shaking his head, he headed back inside. Such a mess.

* * *

During the driving towards the unknown destination, Deeks didn't say a single word, just stared outside the window and observed every detail, trying to understand where Granger was taking him. For sure, they were moving away from the ocean and the beach and his heart broke at the thought. There was something calming and soothing in the salty air, in the sound of the waves crashing on the beach and he was going to miss it terribly.

His mind was wandering back to his friends, to his house, to Monty… Kensi. He never expected to be so attached to someone whom he met just a few months ago, but she had found her way into his heart and now she was like his drug. He needed her, craved for her and her touch. He felt the need to hear her voice or see her beautiful smile. It had not been more than a couple of hours, but he already missed her.

His hand moved to his pocket and a shiver ran down his spine. His phone… when they were at school they were not allowed to bring their phones in class so they left them in their lockers and his phone had been left in there since he was not given the chance to retrieve it before being forcefully dragged away. "Damn it!" He cursed between ground teeth.

"What's up, kid?" Granger asked him, surprised to hear him talk.

"Can we go back and retrieve my stuff? I left my clothes at home and my books at school, how am I supposed to stay up to date with my homework?" Marty said nonchalantly.

"Don't worry about clothes, I'm sure that Mrs. Francis has something to give you." The CPS officer studied the boy's face, sensing his disappointment. "And if you need to get your phone, I'm sorry, but no way. And frankly, I don't think you will need it for where you're going."

"What the hell are you talking about? I need to call my friends… you can't stop me from doing it!" protested the kid, starting to become really worried and frustrated.

"Now, listen to me, kid. You're not going on vacation. Where you're going is not a beach resort. There are rules and you better follow them or your next destination will be juvie! Just let that stick in that thick head of yours!"

Deeks stared at the man, unable to say anything. Things were far worse than he imagined.

"So no witty remark? Even a troublemaker like you is scared of going to jail?" Granger asked a bit sarcastically. "Now, get comfortable, we have another half an hour of driving."

Marty's hands were trembling. When did things start to become so bad? "Damn it!" He muttered, leaning his head against the window.

Almost an hour later they finally arrived at their destination. The car stopped in front of an old, two story grey house standing literally in the middle of nowhere. There was an unkempt garden surrounding it, full of weeds, old branches and dry leaves. Next to the house, there was a small barn but nothing else.

The closest building was at least one kilometer away.

"Wow, and here I thought the Hilton was magnificent…" Deeks said getting out of the car. He felt a sense of desolation, of abandonment that he never felt in his whole life, not even when his mother left him all alone. This place gave him a bad feeling, making him very uneasy.

He was still staring at the decadent building when a woman in his fifties came through the door and approached them.

"Owen, you're late. You said you would be here by noon but it's almost two pm. Not a great start!" The woman stated coldly. She was not very tall, but she had big arms and shoulders. She was wearing a long sleeveless dress with flowers on it that made her muscular, but fatty frame, evident. Her hair, raven black, was tied in a bun and her small dark eyes were hidden behind thick glasses.

Marty could not help but notice how small and suspicious those eyes were and his mother's words resounded in his ears, "Never trust people with small eyes, baby boy. They have a lot to hide." It caused his sense of uneasiness to become even greater than before.

"This is Mrs. Madalina Francis and she will be taking care of you for a while." Granger told Deeks, impatient of getting rid of him. His work had become just a mere profession for him but it hadn't always been like this. He was passionate once, always ready to help and do everything possible to give a new chance to unfortunate kids. Things drastically changed six years ago when one of the kids he was helping stole money from his house but also stole his gun. The boy first used against Owen, wounding him and sending him to the hospital, and then, against the owner of a store, killing him. After that day, Granger was a different man, and those kids were just a package he needed to deliver, nothing more. He didn't care where they ended, what kind of family fostered them, or what kind of lives they lived. He took the kids to the shelter house CPS chose for them and then checked on them once in a while, only because it was mandatory.

"So, this is the troublemaker you were telling me about, Owen." Mrs. Francis spoke with her deep, annoyed voice that Marty already couldn't stand. "Ok boy, we have a few rules here. Follow them and we'll get along very well. The first one is that you can call me Mrs. Francis or Madam, no first name crap. I'm not your friend and you're not mine, so we better start with the right foot."

Deeks narrowed his eyes, trying to understand if this woman was real or if she just came out of a horror movie.

"Did you hear me boy?" Madalina asked a bit irritated. "You said he was trouble not that he was deaf!" She snapped, looking at Granger.

"I'm not deaf, Madam. I was just wondering about the other rules." Marty said his first words and was immediately rewarded with a cold scolding glance.

"I see you've got a smart mouth… don't worry, you will change your attitude soon." Then, once again, talking to the CPS officer, she said, "You can go now, Owen. I will wait for you and your monthly visit in twenty five days. You boy, get inside now."

Deeks cast her one last look, then taking a long deep breath, reluctantly walked inside.

When the kid closed the door behind his back, Mrs. Francis moved closer to Granger. "I thought we agreed that I didn't have any more room for another kid, but it seems to me that you've apparently forgotten about it! And not satisfied by this, you brought me a real troublemaker! I read his file, Owen, I read that he is trouble… he shot his own father, for God's sake! Do you think I have time for this shit, Owen?"

"It was not my idea, Madalina. I have an order from the judge, so don't hold a grudge against me! You know that you better change your attitude around me or I can close this place in a blink of an eye, which means no more money for you. That means you won't be able to pay for your gambling debts." The man told her with a cold expression, his voice was gruffer than usual.

"You're a bastard, Owen Granger! A fucking son of a bitch!" Mrs. Francis turned on his heels and awkwardly moved inside.

"Your room is the on the first floor, last one on the left, at the end of the corridor. The bathroom is down here," Madalina indicated to a door on their right. "If you find it always busy, there is a pit outside and you can wash yourself with the water you find there. I don't want to see trash around or hear anything coming from you. Do you understand?"

The more he listened to this woman, the less Marty liked her. "Yes, Madam."

"Now, you are late for lunch, so you won't eat until dinner time. I don't care if you want to sleep the whole time, but if you're not down in the kitchen when it's time to eat, you won't get a meal. I don't have time to prepare food following your crazy schedule. When I ask you to do a job, you do it, without questioning. When I say to go to your room, you go to your room. Listen to me and we'll be ok, do as your shitty head tells you and you will face the consequences. Questions?"

"I didn't have time to get my stuff, Mr. Granger told me that you might have some clothes for me." Deeks asked, expecting an explosion coming from the woman.

"You will find some clothes in the closet in your room, if they don't fit you, it's your problem. I don't have money for new clothes for every kid that shows up here." Madalina studied the boy's features and couldn't stop thinking that this boy was trouble. "We have no TV, no cell phones are allowed, no computer here for any of you. There's a phone down in the kitchen but you are allowed to make calls only if you have earned the privilege. You do what my husband, my son, and I say and you'll earn points. If you misbehave, you'll lose them. We are the only ones who have the keys to the phone. Is that clear enough?"

"Yes, Madam." Marty was already thinking of a way to sneak out of the place, to call his friends and maybe to get the hell out of here. He had already one person in his life that ordered him around, denying him the chance to live his life. He was not ready to let this witch do the same.

"Is it clear, boy?"

"Yes, Madam. Crystal clear." He answered, holding the woman's stare defiantly. He was not ready to withstand to her vexation.

"Ok, now listen to me very carefully, boy. I don't like that little smile of yours. You think you're smart, that you're smarter than me. This is a little warning, for you, because it's your first day. A lot of fucking punks like you came here thinking they could get the best over me, well they all left this place with their tail between their legs." She was shorter than Marty, but she didn't care at all. She looked at him with her evil dark eyes, pointing her fingers menacingly at his chest, pressing into it.

Deeks tried not to wince in pain when the gesture hurt his sensitive ribs, but Madalina was not giving up. She probably knew about his injuries and she was trying to show him that this was her kingdom and he was nothing to her.

"Now, you better go to your room. I will call you if I need you for something." She lowered her fingers, smiling cunningly, satisfied by her action.

Marty released the breath he was holding, trying to contain the trembling of his body. The pain was radiating from his ribs and throughout his whole chest. His eyes were still locked on the woman when he started climbing up the stairs, headed to his new room.

Mrs. Francis observed him walking away and the pleased smile never left her lips. "I will straighten you up, you little punk. Don't worry, I will be the winner. As always." With that, she turned around and walked towards the kitchen. She needed some food.


	11. Chapter 11

Usual thanks to everyone who's reading this story and to purecraziness for her hard work (and patience) with me!

* * *

Chapter 11

Evan Forbes was an old friend of the Blye family. He had known Julia since high school and Donald had been probably one of his best friends.

When Mrs. Blye asked him for a favor, he had looked through the case of this kid, Martin Deeks, and for sure things didn't look good. Honestly speaking, he couldn't find a reason why the two Blye women wanted to be mixed with this story that was more than complicated… and very delicate, but the truth was that he would do everything he could to help Kensi and Julia and for this reason he was a bit sad because he was not bringing good news.

"Evan, please, have a seat," Julia told him, guiding him into her living room. "Do you need something to drink? A coffee maybe?"

"No, I'm good. Thank you, Julia." He looked at the two women, stopping on the younger. "Kensi, you're even more beautiful than I remembered." He said honestly. It was impossible to deny how beautiful the girl was, she would probably have millions of boys dying at her feet.

"I… thank you, but… what can you tell us about Deeks? Can we do something to bring him back?" Kensi cut him short, getting straight to the point.

Evan studied her intently, finally understanding why they were so interested in this boy, then burst out laughing. "You're really your father's daughter, sweetie. You don't want to beat around the bush but you go straight to your goal. I like that." He became very serious, taking a long deep breath as he opened the folder he was holding in his hands. "It's a very complicated situation. I'm not an expert here, but for sure I can tell you that it's not an easy matter… very delicate that needs a big dose of carefulness. So before we start, I would like to know the nature of your involvement with this boy."

Julia cast a glance at her daughter, holding her hand, squeezing it. "Marty is a very good friend of Kensi. She is tutoring him because their principal thought it was beneficial to him to improve his fluctuating grades."

"And we kinda got… involved." Kensi added calmly, calmer than she expected herself to be.

"Involved… involved or…" The lawyer didn't want to push too much, but he needed to know.

"Evan, I'm fifteen years old, the kind of involvement I might have at this age! We did nothing that my father would have killed Deeks for! We…" The girl's mind went to the sweet kisses they exchanged and her heart warmed. "We kissed…. That's it… It's too soon for the both of us to do anything more than that, but… Deeks is… he's very important to me."

Julia couldn't deny the fact that she was relieved to hear that. She knew that her daughter was a very serious girl with her head on her shoulders, but at the same time she was aware of what kind of silly things a teenager who thought to be in love, might do.

"Look, I… I know that maybe that file says differently, but Deeks is an amazing guy, for real. He is… he is not a bad person or I wouldn't stick around him." Kensi turned towards her mother with teary eyes. "You know him mum, you talked to him. He is a very good person…"

The older woman took a long deep breath. She didn't know Marty as much as she wanted, but her first impression had been good. Talking to him, he sounded like a very kind boy who had the misfortune of having bad role models as parents and meeting the wrong people. "Evan, I talked to the boy and he went through a very rough childhood, one that I wouldn't wish for my worst enemy and all I know is that Marty didn't deserve it as much as he didn't deserve to be taken away from his house, from his friends… from everything that saved him from a worst fate."

Evan passed a hand over his face, the situation was even worse than he expected. "Well, the request of the judge is more than legitimate. Marty is still a minor who doesn't have any available relatives, so entrusting him to CPS was the obvious and legally correct choice. If you add the fact that he has a pending cause for attempted burglary and that he has a record, well it's hard to hinder the judge's decision. According to all of these facts, the boy needs guidance, something that he actually lacks at this very moment."

"But it's not true! Deeks just needs to live his life where he belongs, here! He doesn't need guidance… hell he lived all alone for the past two years and no one even realized!" Kensi protested vehemently, preventing Evan from interrupting her with a simple gesture of her hand. "He is really working hard to do something good. He is putting a lot of effort in studying and he's improving considerably. In the last month and half he didn't even break any rules at school!"

"Kensi, he was caught sneaking onto private property where him and his friend were going to steal a car."

"Damn it, Evan! He didn't want to do that. He only wanted to protect Ray! And those people are the last ones who can accuse Deeks or Ray of something. Did mum tell you about my friend Callen? Those Vipers beat the crap out of him only to steal a few dollars and a cell phone from him. How dare are they… accusing Deeks and Ray for attempted burglary? They almost killed Callen and they came very close to doing the same with Deeks and Ray. If the cops didn't show up, they would have hurt my friends much more than they actually did. Deeks is still hurting… someone should take care of him now…" The teenager was barely able to hold back the angry tears.

"Kensi, dear, we know how you feel about Deeks, but what Evan said is right." Julia put a hand on her daughter's shoulder, attempting to comfort her, in vain.

"Right for who? Not for Deeks! Taking him away from his life is not right! Accusing him of being a criminal is not right!" The girl protested, standing up and losing a bit of the calmness she was trying so hard to keep.

"Kensi, sweetie, there's no need to yell, we are to talk and try to find a solution." Her mother tried to make her reason and to make her sit back down on the couch.

"The only solution is to bring him back!"

"I wish it could be so easy, Kensi." Evan told her. "The only way to get him out from the system and from a future in foster care would be to find his mother. But first, from what I've read, I don't think she has any interest of coming back to get him. And second, after she left him, the judge would prefer to deny her any chance of getting him back, not holding her as a suitable mother." His expression was even more serious and his voice grave.

"But what if we find him a foster family in this area?" There was a strange light in Kensi's eyes and her mother knew immediately what she was thinking.

"Kensi, dear… I know what you want to do, but I don't think it's a good idea." Julia hoped that her words didn't hurt her daughter.

"Why not? Deeks needs a family and we are a family. We can give him what he needs and he won't be forced to a new life away from here." The girl insisted, she had something in mind and it was hard to make her change her mind.

"Sadly, it's not that easy. I am not exactly an expert, but foster families must be approved by the tribunal and need a certain period of time to be studied before being qualified. Even if you offer to foster Marty, I don't think there will be the technical time to achieve your goal." Evan felt very bad for blocking the teenager's enthusiasm, but they asked him for his help and not allowing them to embark in a lost cause was a way to do it.

"But there must be something we can do! I can't believe that the law allows this. Don't they realize that doing this, they will lose Deeks forever? This whole foster program shouldn't be about giving kids a chance of a normal life? What kind of normal life will Deeks have if he is forced to stay away from everything he cares about and is familiar with?"

Silence fell in the room at Kensi's words. Both Julia and Evan knew that she was right. It was shocking to see how a teenager had much more sense in her brain than grown people.

"I think the only chance to get your friend back is to find a qualified foster family here in the area, obviously hoping that he won't be sentenced for what he did, because things might get a bit more complicated in that case." The lawyer explained, looking through his papers.

"The Harringtons!" Kensi shouted, jumping on her feet. "We can ask the Harringtons! They are already fostering Callen, maybe they could do the same with Deeks."

Her mother wanted to tune down her excitement, mostly because she didn't want to see Kensi disappointed if something was not going to go as she desired. "Kensi, please don't get too excited. You don't even know if the Harringtons would like to assume such a burden. They already have a foster son who, from what you've told me, needs a lot of attention after been attacked by that gang."

"Mum, why are you so negative? And Deeks is not a burden!" There was a hint of anger in the girl's eyes that her mother had never seen.

"Kensi, your mother is not negative. She's just realistic. It's highly improbable that the judge allows this family to foster another boy, especially one with Marty's background. Usually the tribunal tends to find a different kind of family and mostly it tends to move the subject from the original environment to avoid the probability of him getting in trouble again because of old friends." The lawyer intervened, not wanting the two women to fight.

"So, are you telling me that there's no hope? That Deeks is gone forever?" Kensi felt like someone had stabbed her in her gut. She couldn't believe that she was truly hearing this. She couldn't lose someone so important to her.

"There is always hope, Kensi. Always." Julia moved close to her daughter, cupping her face and staring at her teary eyes. "Your father taught you this, never lose hope and fight for what you feel is worth fighting for. And remember, even if things won't go in the way you want, if Marty really cares for you, as I truly think he does, he will find a way to come back to you. Maybe not tomorrow, but I'm sure he will."

It was too much for Kensi, she buried her face in her mother's shoulder and started sobbing, feeling lost as she had ever been in ages.

* * *

It was half past eight, the sun had already gone beyond the horizon, leaving place to the darkness. The silence that surrounded the old house was almost oppressive. Deeks was lying on the bed when his stomach growled. He was hungry and sincerely was tired of waiting for someone to come and call him for dinner. He got up, casting a furtive glance at his reflection in the mirror. He had managed to take a quick shower and change his dirty clothes, but the ones he found in the closet weren't exactly fitting. The light jeans were a bit too short for his long legs and the blue sweatshirt was two sizes too big, but they were the only things he dared to wear. The other clothes looked like they came directly from the eighties. "You look amazing, Marty. If only Kensi could see you now, you would never see the end of this!" He tried to find comfort in the image of Kensi mocking him and having fun at his expense, but it was hard. The memory of her smile, of her laugh… everything… was what he wanted to focus on to get going and go through this experience, but all he could feel was a cold hand on his heart. It was like someone stole his light, leaving him in darkness. "Oh come on, get your shit together!"

Almost with anger, he passed a hand through his hair, stroking it, wanting to shake away the bad feeling that was growing inside of him. "Nothing is lost. This is temporary, this is just temporary!" He repeated to himself as he moved towards the door. He opened it and started walking along the corridor when he heard voices he couldn't recognize shout in the background, and then suddenly the creepy voice of Madalina echoed in the air.

Marty was already at the top of the stairs, ready to climb down when someone grabbed his hand.

"I wouldn't do that if I was in you." A tiny voice told him.

He turned around and found himself standing in front of a small girl with long brown hair and deep, kind chocolate eyes. "What?" He asked a bit surprised to see someone else, because for a moment, he thought he was alone in this place.

"Don't go there, when they are yelling like this, they are not very gentle…"

Deeks observed the girl, studying her expression and the deep concern in her eyes. "Well, I'm not going down then… even if I'm starving. I haven't eaten since breakfast."

"If you want I have some crackers in my room, they might be a bit stale but they are better than nothing." She gave him a big smile, revealing two missing teeth, and Marty thought she was the most adorable thing he had ever seen in his whole life.

"Well, this is the best offer I have received in a long time," He grinned back and this was his first real smile since the morning. "I'm Marty, by the way."

"Nice to meet you, Marty. I'm Bryanna, but my friends calls me Bry." She took his hand and guided him towards her room. "You're cute… I've never seen anyone with hair like yours…" She giggled, covering her mouth with her hand.

"Well, because I'm special!" Deeks told her, leaning towards her and tickling her.

Bry burst out laughing, unable to stop, and immediately a loud voice came from downstairs. "Who's that? Whoever you are, you little piece of shit, go back to your room!"

The little girl, clearly terrified, dragged Marty into her bedroom that was just two doors away from his. She was clearly shaking and as soon as the door closed behind her back, she sat next to the bed holding her legs to her chest.

"Hey, what's up Princess?" Marty asked, sitting next to her and passing an arm around her, guiding her into his strong embrace.

"They are very bad with us, I… I don't like it here…" Bryanna clenched on Deeks' sweatshirt, unable to stop trembling. Then, suddenly, she lifted her head and looked at him straight in the eyes. "Marty if you're special, can you take me away from here? Please?"

Tears filled the boy's eyes. How could it be possible to scare such a little precious thing like Bry? What kind of people terrified her like this? He felt a burning desire to protect her, from everything and everyone. He knew too well this kind of fear and no one should ever experience it. "I will do my best, Bry, to protect you and if there will ever be a chance to get away from here, don't worry, we will take it together."

"Promise?" The little girl literally begged him, still clenching onto him.

"Pinky promise…"

A little sad smile curled her lips. "I prayed to God every night to send me someone to help me… and finally he listened to me. He sent you. Thank you, Marty. Thank you." She wiped away the tears and got up. "Now, are you still hungry?"

Deeks smirked, shaking his head. "I thought you forgot about it!"

"I never forget anything! I am very smart." She told him playfully, taking out a metal box from under the bed. "Here…"

Marty picked up the offered cracker. "Ok, I don't like to eat alone. What do you think about sharing?" He knew that Bry was probably hungry too and felt very bad for stealing all of her secret stash of food.

"But you're a big boy, you need nutrition if you want to take us away from here." Her face brightened as she said those words, she truly trusted him in this matter.

"Look Princess, you know that it's not going to happen in a day…"

Bryanna looked at him, giving him a cunning grin. "I know, Marty, but I can feel that you will keep your word. Your eyes don't lie."

Deeks guided her into his arms. He didn't know why but he felt very protective towards this little girl he had just met. There was something in her eyes, in her expression, and in the way she behaved that simply made it impossible for him to ignore her. Just a look at her and Marty was done. He was aware that he would do anything to protect her and to save her from the pain of a life in this place. "Come on, Princess, what do you feel about eating? I think we are both starving…"

"Ok, Marty… I think you're right." As she was talking, her stomach made itself noticeable. "You are definitely right!" And she burst out laughing like she was the happiest girl in the world.

They ate the crackers, enjoying each other company and saying silly jokes. When Bry was eating the last one, she asked nonchalantly, "Where are your parents?"

The boy took a long breath, knowing that he couldn't lie to the little girl because it would break the trust she had in him. "My father is in jail. He was very bad to my mother and me, he was always drunk and he beat us. One night things were really bad… and I couldn't stand it anymore. Now… he can't hurt me anymore."

"And your mum?" Bry asked; she had seen how Marty's eyes had watered as he was talking about his father so she decided not to be too intrusive about this matter.

Deeks nervously played with the last piece of cracker in his hand. "She… she simply left. She was at home when I went to school and when I came back, she was gone, and all of her stuff was gone. I haven't seen her in two years."

"My dad left too. Mum and him always fought. They didn't want me to hear but I knew that they were arguing because we didn't have money. He went away and never came back, because he said that this was not life. Mum tried to keep going, but she doesn't have a stable job so since she couldn't take care of me, they took her somewhere away from me and they brought me here." There were tears in Bryanna's eyes, but she tried to be strong even if it was not working.

"How long have you been here?" Marty asked, caressing her face.

"Two weeks and Mrs. Francis allowed me to call my mum just once. I miss her, I miss her so much…" This time she couldn't hold on anymore and started crying, burying her face in Deeks' chest. "I know she loves me and I love her so much. Why can't I stay with her?

"Sshh, it's ok Princess, you will see her soon. I promise you." He didn't know why he made such a promise, but he found himself unable to see this little girl so sad. She deserved happiness, not this crappy life, and as absurd as it looked like, happiness was with her mother, even if she was literally penniless. He allowed her to cry until she felt a bit better and then, smiling warmly, he wiped away the tears from her rosy cheeks. "Now, what do you think if I tell you a story?"

"Is it a nice story with a Princess and a Prince, with dragons and horses?" Bry straightened herself up, appealed by the idea of a story. She remembered when her mother told her one before going to bed.

Marty smiled warmly, ruffling her wavy hair. Then, he leaned against the bed, guiding her towards him. "It's more than that… it's a love story…" His mind went immediately to Kensi and her beautiful face.

"Oh yes, please Marty. Tell it to me… please, please, please Marty!" She begged, unable to contain her enthusiasm.

"Ok, ok… so, once upon a time there was a beautiful young princess, she had long hair and a pair of amazing mismatched eyes…" Deeks started, losing himself in the story he was telling, losing himself in the memories of the person he missed so much and that meant the world to him.

* * *

The group of friends was reunited in the Harringtons' living room, celebrating Callen's first day at home. The boy had been released in the morning under strict orders to rest and follow the therapy the doctors had given him. He didn't care too much about medicines or rest, the important thing was that he finally managed to escape the four walls of the hospital room that were starting to become like a prison.

"Are you comfortable, sweetie?" Jo-Ann Harrington asked, fixing the pillow behind his back as he was lying on the couch. "Do you need anything?"

"Mum, you're suffocating him, can't you see it?" Jennifer kindly scolded her mother that was smothering the boy with attention.

Kevin Harrington couldn't stop himself from chuckling at the funny scene taking place in front of his eyes. He never imagined that fostering G would be so challenging but at the same time so fulfilling. They knew from his history that the boy had been in too many foster families and for this reason his case was a bit more complicated than usual, but the first day they met him, they simply felt like he belonged with them. They were glad Callen had felt the same and day after day they were becoming a real family. This bad experience, now that it was fortunately over, brought them even closer. "Jo-Ann sweetie, I think Jen is right. Give him some space. If he needed something, he would ask for it. What do you think, G?"

The boy nodded as a knot formed in his stomach. He couldn't believe that this was truly happening to him. These people truly cared about him and they were truly interested in knowing his opinion, listening to him for real. It was so new to him, but he couldn't say that he didn't like it. Actually, he loved it. "I'm good thanks, but I promise that if I ever need something, I'll let you know."

"Ok, ok, you two… three have a point!" Jo-Ann leaned towards him and kissed his forehead. "I better go to the kitchen and prepare something to drink and eat for your friends. Kevin, can you give me a hand please?"

"Yeah, of course." Kevin looked at his daughter who was intently studying her foster brother, noticing how she had never seen him so happy and smiling like he was in this moment.

"I'm coming too, mum. I think these guys need some bonding time." Jen winked at G and then followed her parents towards the kitchen.

Once they were alone, an awkward silence fell in the room. It was Nell who finally decided it was time to break it.

"So, how are you feeling, Callen? You know that whatever you need you can count on us as well." The petite girl cast a glance at Eric, Kensi, and Sam who had accompanied her here.

"I know, Nell, and I… I truly appreciate it." Callen took a long, deep breath, wincing a little because of the pain in his abdomen. "I'm feeling much better, nothing that a good dose of rest can't cure."

"You gave us quite a scare, man." Eric intervened, giving him one of his nice smiles.

"I'm sorry, sincerely. I was not planning on any of this at all." G could feel that his friends were not telling him everything, that there was something that they were not saying. Kensi in particular was very quiet, almost distant, like she was here but her mind was somewhere else. "Ok, you better stop treating me like an invalid! I can feel that something is bothering you, so spill it. Now!" He stared at Sam, his best friend, knowing that he would never lie straight to his face. "Is it about Deeks?"

Hearing just the name, put Kensi on alert. She shook herself like her body was coursed by an electrical discharge.

Everyone couldn't miss her reaction. Nell placed a hand on her back, trying to comfort her, but it didn't seem to work that well.

Sam sighed heavily, passing a hand over his face. "It's… it's been more than a week since CPS took Deeks and we haven't heard anything from him. Not a call, a visit, a message. Nothing. It's like he doesn't exist anymore."

"What? Nothing in more than a week? This doesn't sound like Deeks…" Callen straightened up on the couch, trying to find a more comfortable position. The news had clearly upset him.

"Yeah, exactly." Eric echoed.

"We don't know where he is, how he's doing… anything and this is just… not right." These were the first words Kensi has spoken since her arrival and were filled with such a deep sadness that broke everyone's heart. "Evan is trying to at least find out where they have taken him, but he's fighting against a rubber wall."

"Who's Evan?" G asked confused.

"He's a lawyer, a friend of Kensi's mum." Nell explained briefly.

"A lawyer, well that's good. So maybe he will be able to help Deeks."

"Sadly, it's not that easy." Kensi continued, walking towards the window and staring outside. "There's not much we can do. Evan said that what the judge did is legitimate and that there are not many options available to bring Deeks back, because of his situation, his record, and his pending case for attempted burglary. The first one is that his mother shows up and that she could demonstrate that she truly wants to take care of her son. Sadly, no one knows where she is and even the judge might have some doubt about her sincerity after she abandoned her son to his fate when he was still barely a child. The second option is… well, if… if we could find a foster family in this area then we might have a chance, even though the judge could object if he's afraid that Deeks could end up in some trouble because of bad companies and old friends."

Callen saw the sparkle in her eyes, understanding where she wanted to go with her mind. "And do you think that Kevin and Jo-Ann could be a solution?"

"I… sincerely, I thought about that and I even talked to Evan about it, but he doubts that the judge would allow them to foster Deeks. They have already you to take care of and sincerely the tribunal thinks that Deeks is one troubled kid who needs guidance and someone who can take care of him and him only."

G bit his lip, nervously. "I… I am sorry, so if I… if I wasn't here, Deeks would be possibly fostered by the Harringtons."

"G, no! Don't go there… it's not your fault!" Kensi rushed to add, noticing the expression planted on the boy's face. "This has nothing to do with you." Kensi moved towards her friend, holding his hand. "You deserve to be happy, so enjoy what you have and don't feel guilty. You are a great guy and truly deserve it."

"So is Deeks… he deserves the same." Callen's words fell in the air and once again, the silence engulfed everything. The boy bowed his head, taking a long deep breath, holding his midsection.

"Yeah, right…" Nell said, trying to break the tension, in vain.

After a few moments, G wondered. "Hey, but, where's Ray? He's not in trouble, is he?"

Sam licked his lips with his tongue, trying to find the best words to explain his friend everything. "G… Ray… we haven't seen or heard from Ray in five days."

"Wait, you haven't seen Ray in five days and you haven't looked for him?"

"G, we looked everywhere, called his buddies, went to the places he was used to frequent, but nothing. He simply disappeared," Sam continued.

"Sam, why do I have the feeling that once again you're holding something from me?" Callen looked at him with narrowed eyes and his voice was a bit annoyed.

The big boy bowed his head, closing his eyes. "Listen G, when that guy took Deeks with him, Shaggy asked me to keep an eye on Ray because he was afraid that he might do something stupid. Well, I kept an eye on Martindale even if you know I can't stand the guy. Well, we talked and… and…" He paused looking at the ceiling, clearly distressed.

"And what Sam?"

"I… I never saw anyone so desperate like he was that day. He was blaming himself for whatever happened to Deeks and he looked like someone who didn't have anything to lose…" Sam continued in his explanation.

"Ok, but…" A cold shiver ran down Callen's spine, like his mind was suddenly very clear. "Sam… guys, what did Ray do?"

The four friends stared at one another, unable to find the courage to tell him the truth.

"Guys? Hell guys, Ray is my friend, I have the right to know!" G almost shouted.

"Callen… we… we talked with one of Ray's buddies and he told us that…" Kensi shook her head, passing a hand through her hair. "Callen, the day before Ray disappeared, he went to this guy and…" Words simply didn't come so easily.

"Oh, come on Kensi, you can do better than this! Tell me, I need to know!"

"Damn it, G! The day before disappearing, Ray bought a gun! He bought a damn gun and he's still carrying it around…" A tight knot formed in Kensi's stomach that slowly turned upside down. "Now he's out there looking for a way to help Deeks. He doesn't care about himself, G… he doesn't care if he gets himself killed, he just wants to make it up to Deeks."

If Callen didn't know it was October, he would have thought it was January because of the cold shivers running down his spine. "What the hell are you doing, Ray? You better not get yourself killed because otherwise, I will kill you myself. Deeks needs you, but not at risk of your own life." He hid his face behind his hand. "Damn it, Ray!"


	12. Chapter 12

I can't stop thanking all of you for reading this story, I truly appreciate it.

As always a big THANK YOU to purecraziness for her help and for bearing with me.

* * *

Chapter 12

Days passed by and every day was the same as the previous one. Deeks never imagined saying this, but he missed going to school, he missed the boring lessons, he missed the annoying teachers. Mostly, he missed his friends. He hadn't been allowed to call them in ten days but it felt like a year for him.

Mrs. Francis had explained to him that since she didn't find a suitable school in the area for him, he was not allowed to attend one, so his only way to fill his days was to do the housework the creepy woman and her husband literally ordered him to do.

Apart from Bryanna and him, there were another two kids in the house, Timothy, who was twelve years old, and Derek, who was ten. They were both very shy and absolutely terrified of the owners of the house. Instinctively, they looked at Marty as a reference point, as someone they could go when they needed help or support.

Deeks had always loved children in general and liked to spend time with them. In his neighborhood he usually stopped to talk to the kids playing on the streets, laughing and joking with them.

The three kids here, in this place, saw him like their leader, their guidance and this annoyed Madalina a bit, who never hid her disappointment for the new situation.

"Hey boy! It's time to go back to your job! Those weeds don't go away by themselves!" The woman shouted at Marty.

"Yes, Madam." Deeks replied ironically, but going back to what he was doing. He was behaving even if his first instinct was to punch the woman in her ugly face, only because he wanted, no actually, he needed to gain the right to make a phone call. He desperately needed to hear Kensi's voice. He was aware that she might be worried, but mostly, he was afraid that she felt like he abandoned her, forgot about her.

"You better try to finish with that part of the garden before lunch time," Mrs. Francis yelled at him from the kitchen window and then she went back to what she was doing.

"You really can't imagine where I would like to put these damn weeds!" Marty murmured to himself as he continued his job under the hot sun of the late morning. Mr. Francis had given him a pair of old gloves, but his hands were hurting and he felt like he was losing a bit of sensitivity. He lifted his head only to find Bryanna smiling kindly at him from behind the window and he didn't know why, but he felt reinvigorated. The little girl had a very good effect on him, since she gave him a goal to go on. He winked at her, grinning back, and he could see Bry chuckling happily.

Just the idea of being able to make the little girl smile was a success for him, something to look for day after day.

Fortunately, lunch time arrived quickly and the kids were finally allowed to eat along with the Francis family. It was nothing fancy, but at least it was food and it was edible.

Deeks sat between Bryanna and Jeremy, Madalina's son, a sturdy twenty something boy who was the carbon copy of his mother. In front of him sat Jarod Francis who was instead a big man with grey hair and grey eyes. He didn't talk too much, but he was the kind of person no one wanted to mess up with. Next to him sat Timothy and Derek.

During the meal the kids were not allowed to talk unless they were asked to, so they had developed a silent form of communication that only the four of them could understand.

"I have to say I am almost pleased with the job you are doing here, you are following the rules, so maybe you can have your reward." Madalina suddenly started, looking at Deeks and Bryanna. "You two have earned the right to make your call." She never used a first name to address any of the kids, calling them boy or girl, when she was gentle. "You two," she pointed at Timothy and Derek, "…can do it tomorrow."

Marty felt Bry's hand clenching on his as her whole expression brightened up at the idea of talking to her mother. His heart started beating madly and his mouth became dry while his mind went to the person that meant so much to him. "Kensi…" He whispered, hoping no one could hear him.

"Come on you two, what are you waiting for? Move!" Mrs. Francis ordered, beckoning at her husband to go with them. "You know the rules, no more than five minutes for each call!"

Deeks saw Bryanna get up and walk with a rapid pace towards the corner where the phone was situated, waiting for Jarod to unlock it. The little girl was so excited that she almost jumped on her feet when the big man handed her the receiver. Her small fingers danced across the numbers as she dialed the number. After a few seconds her eyes lightened up when she heard a familiar voice on the other end. "Mummy!" She shouted happily.

Marty decided to take a step back, giving her a bit of privacy, but he stared at Bryanna who was giggling and talking with happy tears in her eyes. After five minutes, the girl passed the receiver to Jarod and trotted away.

As she passed by him she winked, grinning. "Your girl is waiting."

Deeks licked his lips with his tongue, as the level of nervousness grew exponentially inside of him. He was really going to call her. His hand trembled when Jarod handed him the phone and he took a long deep breath before dialing the familiar number. For a moment, the world around him stopped and even his heart skipped a beat, then he heard it.

"Hello?"

"Ken… Kensi?" He murmured uncertain.

"Deeks? Is that really you?" Kensi replied, shocked, since she didn't expect the call at all.

"Yeah, it's me… I told you that I would have found my way to you." He was trying to control his emotions but deep inside he had a turmoil of mixed feelings that were almost overwhelming him.

"How… how are you? I was so worried… I… I miss you, well, Monty misses you too and the guys…" Her voice cracked because she wanted to be strong, but it was hard. "Where are you, Deeks?"

"I…" Marty cast a glance at the big man standing next to him, looking at him with a dark expression. He realized that maybe telling Kensi where he was was not possible. "I'm… good Kens, I'm good." He was aware that he didn't sound very convincing. "Is everything all right? How's school? And how's the guys? Callen?" He hesitated a moment then added, "Ray?"

Kensi's blood froze for a second; she didn't want to lie to him, but she couldn't tell him that his best friend, his brother was nowhere to be found and that he was wandering around carrying a gun with him. "School is boring as usual and without you around it is even more boring. I miss tutoring you, you were a lot of fun."

"Really? Is it a contorted way of you telling me you miss me or you just miss making a fool out of me because of my school fails?" He tried to joke, but his voice couldn't hide his sadness because he was not there with her.

"You're such an idiot! You know that I love making a fool of you!" She was trying to behave normally, but it was far from easy. "Callen is back at home, he's doing better, but he still has a long way to go before he'll be up and running."

"That's good to know. I'm glad he's doing better." Marty sighed heavily. He wanted to tell her so many things but words literally died in his throat. "Kens… how's Ray? He's not in some sort of trouble, is he?"

Again, Kensi hesitated. "No, not in trouble." She lied, hoping that he believed her, so she decided to change the subject. "What… how is it living where you are now? Are you alone? With a family? Damn Deeks, I… I miss you…" she blurted unconsciously.

Something broke inside of Deeks and tears rolled down his cheeks. "I… miss you too, Fern."

The use of one of the nicknames he usually gave her, made her sob. "We… we're working to bring you home, Deeks. We're not going to give up on you." When she didn't hear him reply she insisted, "Did you hear me? Don't give up, Deeks, because we'll bring you home."

He wanted to say something but his throat was clenched in a tight vice. He was surprised, almost shocked, to hear that there were people trying to help him, but at the same time he knew that it was hard and mostly he didn't want Kensi possibly losing time and focus on school because of him.

"Deeks, please… tell me something… please…" Her voice was broken and unable to hide her deep sorrow.

"Kensi, can you do me a favor?" He asked, passing his hand through his hair.

"You know you can ask me anything."

Marty was finally ready to talk to her when he heard the sound of broken dishes and a commotion coming from the kitchen.

"Deeks? Are you still there?" Kensi wondered when she didn't hear him talk. "Deeks?"

Jeremy's shouts filled the air along with Bryanna's terrified cries. "Kens… I… I'm sorry, but… I… I need to go. You… please… take care of yourself. Please, stay safe…" With that, he hung up and rushed towards the source of the yells leaving a stunned Kensi at the other side of the line, literally in tears.

When he arrived in the other room, Deeks saw Bry on the floor collecting pieces of broken dishes while Jeremy was shouting obscenities at her. Timothy and Derek were hugging each other in the farthest corner, scared to death.

"You little piece of shit! Have you seen what you have done? Not only have you broke the dishes that you didn't pay for, but you ruined my shoes!" The young man screamed angrily, leaning towards the little girl.

"I'm… sorry… I'm sorry… I…" Bryanna sobbed, trembling like a leaf.

Marty knelt next to her and helped her. "It's ok, Bry. I'm here, let me help you."

Jeremy didn't take the intrusion very kindly. "No one told you to do anything, little punk! Get the hell out of here and let her clean the mess!" He yelled with rage, but Deeks didn't even look at him and continued with what he was doing.

"I said, get the hell away from here!" The Francis' boy grabbed Marty's shoulder, turning him around. He didn't expect the kid's reaction.

Marty got up and pushed the older boy towards the wall, placing his forearm on his neck. "You don't shout at a little girl who is forced to move plates that weigh more than her. You don't yell at her because she didn't do anything wrong. You're a coward because you know she will never react so you take advantage of this. If you really want to do it, yell at me!" He put a little bit more pressure on his gesture and saw Jeremy struggling to breathe.

Deeks was enjoying the scared look in the young man's eyes, when he felt a searing pain on his back.

"Get your filthy hands off my boy, you little son of a bitch!" Madalina screamed brandishing a bamboo cane in the air after she had used to hit the kid. "I knew you were a troublemaker, I knew you needed a lesson and I was so stupid not to give you one sooner!"

"Oh you can go to hell, you and your damn rules! She didn't do anything wrong… Madam!" Marty said venomously.

"Wash your mouth before talking to me, you little snake!" She placed the cane under his chin, lifting his head. "On your knees and show me your hands!" She ordered, narrowing her small eyes. When she saw that the kid was not going to do what she told him, she moved towards Bry who was now standing supported by Jarod's strong arms. "Ok, you don't want to do what I ordered you, well, in this case I will punish this little bitch instead of you."

Panic could be read in the little girl's expression as the woman walked closer. Tears rolled down her rosy cheeks.

"NO! Don't you dare touch her!" Deeks cried out desperately, kneeling and placing his hands in front of him. "Let her be…" His voice softened as he looked at Bryanna, whispering, "It's ok, it's going to be ok."

"I see that with the right motivation you can even be reasonable…" Madalina placed herself in front of the kid, staring at him with a devilish expression. "It's time you learn how to show some respect to the people who are feeding you and giving you a roof over your head." Without any warning, she slammed the bamboo cane on the boy's hands.

Marty barely suppressed a cry when the pain exploded on his palms. He wanted to be strong for those kids that confided so much in him. He bit the inside of his mouth when Madalina hit him again and again and again. He lost count of how many times she did it, but he looked at Bry to fight the pain, offering a faint smile.

When the woman stopped what she was doing, his hands were bleeding and hurting fiercely, but he didn't allow himself to cry, not now, not in front of the creepy woman, not in front of the other kids.

"You have more grit than I imagined, but remember, even the worst of troublemakers didn't last long and kissed my ass every time I showed up in the room. You are no different… now, you think you're stronger and you think you're better than me, but you're nothing. You're just another little piece of shit!" She turned towards her husband. "Jarod, I don't think anyone has visited the pit in a long time. It's time to reopen it for our new guest."

The big man put Marty on his feet, grabbing him by his hair, and then he roughly pushed him outside.

Deeks could hear Bryanna's cry behind his back and he only wanted to go there and hug her, tell her that everything was going to be fine. At this point, he was just praying that the sick woman or her stupid son didn't hurt the little girl.

He found himself in the hot air of the afternoon with the sun that was shining high in the sky.

"Move!" Jarod told him, pushing him towards the old barn. When he was near the door, the big man added," Stop now!" He bent and opened a trapdoor, revealing a dark pit under his feet. With a quick movement, he grabbed the kid and pushed him inside, immediately closing the hatch over him.

Marty landed on his left hand and couldn't suppress a scream when all of his weight pressed on his injured limb. Taking long deep breaths, trying to get the pain under control, he put himself in a sitting position, bringing his legs to his chest. His hands lay on the dusty ground with the palms up while his forehead leaned against his knees. It was then that everything that had happened took a toll on him and before he could even realize it, Deeks started crying. "I'm sorry, Bry… I'm really sorry." An image appeared in front of his eyes and the void in his heart become even wider. "Please forgive me, Kens, please… I'm weak. I am so weak…" He didn't know how long it took, but slowly he slipped into a restless oblivion when the darkness surrounding him engulfed his soul.

* * *

Fernando Zubileta knew the power he had on people living here in this neighborhood. He was respected, but mostly feared. No one messed up with him, because everyone knew how dangerous he could be.

He had a long night, partying with his buddies, getting drunk and fucking a couple of whores, just the usual treat, the usual way to fill his free time when he was not doing business for The Vipers. He was quickly rising in the ranks, becoming one of the most important figures in the gang's hierarchy.

He was lying in bed now, naked, sipping a whisky and smoking a cigarette observing the naked woman next to him debating whether to fuck her again or to push her out of his bed. He cast a glance at her curves and he immediately found the answer to his question. His hand roughly went to the woman's breast and without waiting for a reaction from her, he put himself of top of her.

Awoken abruptly, the woman moaned and started kissing him, allowing him to do all of his dirty tricks that she truly enjoyed.

He was already inside of her, pumping up and down, when he heard a distracting sound, a sound he recognized that chilled his bones. Still inside her, he turned around only to find himself face to face with a barrel of a gun.

"Well, that's a nice show you're putting up. Why did you stop? Please go on, I was having fun." A cold voice said while a pair of blue eyes sparkled in the dim light of the room. "You were so fucking entertaining!"

The woman screamed, moving uncoordinatedly on the bed, trying to escape and doing so she caused Fernando more than a bit of discomfort.

"Stop it, bitch!" He yelled, getting out of her and allowing her to sneak away. She was so terrified that she couldn't stop trembling and crying. "I said shut up, bitch!" He backhanded her hard, making her fall to the floor.

Still shaking, the woman grabbed the sheets, covered herself, and crawled to one of the corners.

"You better apologize…" The voice said, pointing the gun at Zubileta.

"Go to hell, I will never apologize to that whore, I…"

The sound of a gunshot echoed in the room and the mattress exploded in a triumph of feathers.

"What the hell Martindale!" Fernando shouted, jumping on the bed and almost falling off of it.

The woman screamed and covered her ears with her hands, clearly terrified.

Ray walked closer to Zubileta, the gun firmly in his hold. "I said, apologize!" The weapon moved down towards Fernando's groin. "Do it!"

The man reluctantly turned towards the woman. "I'm… sorry…" He mumbled.

"She didn't hear you, Fernando. Try again… and be more convincing. Show her that you mean it."

Zubileta ground his teeth nervously, feeling suddenly too exposed. "I'm sorry for hitting you."

Ray looked at the woman. "Did you hear that? Because I'm not sure I did."

The woman held herself in the sheets, unsure of her next move, feeling stuck between rock and hard place.

"Oh cut the crap Martindale. I apologized!" Another shot was fired to prevent him from going on talking.

"I said apologize, or next time I won't miss it!" Martindale yelled angrily, aiming the gun between Fernando's legs.

"Ok, ok, I am truly sorry, I shouldn't have hit you."

"Much better." Ray turned towards the woman. "I think you heard him this time, didn't you?"

She nodded, trembling, unable to stop.

"Well, in this case you can go. Fernando and I need to discuss some business now, don't we, Fernando?"

Zubileta beckoned at the woman to leave and as soon as she was out of the room, he sat back on the bed. "What do you want, Martindale? Haven't you had enough of the lesson I taught you and your pretty little bastard of a friend the last time we met?"

"Let's say, I didn't have enough fun that night. You know, in my book, six against two is not that fair…" Ray started walking but his weapon was still aimed at the older boy.

"You put yourself and your friend in that mess, Martindale! You are a good for nothing son of a bitch who can't even…"

Another shot interrupted him and this time it was closer. It grazed his leg, making him bleed. "You little…"

Ray came closer and pointed the gun at Zubileta's head. "I don't think you truly understand how things are going to work. I talk and you listen. I order and you do it. Do as I say and at the end of the day you'll still be anatomically correct. If you don't, well, the Country Golf Club is going to have a new pair of balls!"

"Sneaky bastard!" Fernando attempted to attack the younger boy, but he regretted immediately because another shot resounded in the air and this time it hit the target. "Aarrgghh! You shot me!" He screamed, holding his bleeding arm.

"I warned you and you should take me seriously because I'm not joking, not at all. Sadly for you, I'm deadly serious!" There was a strange light in Ray's blue eyes, something that scared Fernando and gave him chills.

Those blue eyes were the ones of someone who didn't have anything to lose, of someone ready to do everything possible to reach his goal. Zubileta swallowed hard, realizing that he was not in the best position and that he better got along with Martindale's wishes. For now… "What do you want?"

"I want you to call your lawyer and tell him that you withdraw any complaints against Marty, tell him that Marty didn't try to steal your car, tell him that he is clean." Ray's voice was cold and determined, his expression serious.

Fernando skeptically lifted his eyebrows, studying the younger boy. "That's interesting… I always thought you were a selfish bastard, Martindale. You surprise me."

"I don't give a damn about what you think of me." Martindale grabbed the phone and tossed it to the naked man. "Just make that fucking call, now!" The gun moved menacingly towards Zubileta's groin. "Or I swear to God, I'll pull this freaking trigger!"

"Calm down, there's no need to be so nervous. Here, let me make the call…" Fernando said, tilting his head backwards defiantly. "That little snake of a friend doesn't interest me. He was so scared that night, he screamed like a baby when I hit him… I truly have no use for someone so weak and pathetic!"

"Shut the fuck up and made the call! And put it on speaker." Ray didn't trust Fernando and fortunately was lucid enough to remember that detail. He needed to be sure that everything was done correctly.

"Ok, ok, no need to yell. I'm not deaf." The naked young man grabbed the phone and dialed his lawyer's number, putting it on speaker. After a few long moments, finally someone answered the call.

"Hello…" A muffled voice, filled with sleep, mumbled.

"Carlos, It's me, Fernando."

"Nando? Do you have any idea of what time is it? It's four in the morning… what the hell are you calling me for? Weren't you fucking one of your whores?" The lawyer seemed to wake up quickly.

"Carlos, I have an important thing I want you to do for me… and I want you to do it immediately, before I change my mind."

Carlos Rodriguez had been a lawyer long enough not to ask too many questions to his clients. Until they pay, he didn't question their doing. "What kind of thing?"

"I want you to change my deposition about the attempted heist at my warehouse." Zubileta explained calmly, not wanting to look at Ray because he knew the barrel of the gun was still pointed at him. "I… I remembered some new details and I realized that I made a mistake. That guy, that Deeks kid, found himself in the middle of the situation, but… he was not there to steal my car. Actually he wanted to stop his friend."

Martindale nodded gravely, pleased of Fernando's act.

"But you know that doing this, your position will worsen? That kid might accuse you of assault or even attempted murder." The lawyer informed him.

Zubileta cast an questioning look at Ray who simply shook his hand, silently telling him that this won't happen, that his friend was not going to accuse him of anything. "Oh, I am sure that he won't do it. Trust me…" He said these last words with such a poisonous irony that even Rodriguez narrowed his eyes.

"Ok, if this is what you want, I will do it tomorrow morning, first thing in the morning."

Ray pressed the gun on Fernando's groin, making him wince.

"Carlos, sorry, but I would like you to do it immediately. Can you send an email to the judge, then tomorrow you will formalize the act, but, for my conscience's sake, I would like you to do it immediately." Zubileta groaned when the younger boy pulled the gun away. "And can you please send me the same email so I know you did it?"

"You're weird Nando, but you pay so I obey. You will have the email in less than ten minutes. Now go back to sleep and make peace with your conscience." The lawyer hung up and silence fell in the air.

"You did good, Fernando." Ray moved away from the bed and nervously started pacing, waiting for the email to come.

"So, why don't we have something to drink while we're waiting?" Fernando offered, grinning cunningly. "Oppss, I forgot you're just a little boy who still pisses in his pants!"

"Fuck off, Fernando! This is not a game if you haven't realized yet!"

"I can't see it's not a game, for sure it's not a game for you, risking so much to save your buddy's ass…" Zubileta was still talking when a beep signaled the arrival of an email. He checked it for a moment then showed it to Martindale. "Here, look."

Ray approached him, without going too close though. He didn't trust the man. His eyes read quickly and a big grin appeared on his face. His whole body relaxed a little as the tension gripping his muscles dissipated.

Fernando didn't miss the chance he was impatiently waiting for and as the boy started walking backwards, with a rapid and unexpected gesture, he launched himself against his opponent who was caught by surprise and fell to the ground.

Zubileta's was stronger and bigger than the other boy and seemed to have the best of him. He pushed Martindale on his back and started punching him in the face.

Ray found himself pinned to the ground, unable to move, as Fernando hit him repeatedly.

"So, you're not that strong when you don't have a gun pointed at me, are you son of a bitch?" Zubileta got on his feet and kicked Ray, who tried to shield his body with his hands, but Fernando was a fury, enraged by the humiliation he had just been subjected to. "Come on, you little pissy punk, get up… get up and fight!" He released a couple of kicks again, towering, still naked the panting boy on the floor.

Martindale rolled on his side and tried to crawl away. His head was pounding and blood was blurring his vision, pouring from a deep gash on his eyebrow.

"Ahahah look at you, groveling… crawling like a poisonous snake you are!" Fernando grabbed Ray's ankle and dragged him towards him. He was ready to kick him again, when the sound of a gunshot reached his ears and pain exploded in his shoulder. "You… you…" He couldn't finish because he fell to the floor with blood oozing copiously from the wound.

Realizing what he just did, the younger boy collected himself, put himself on his feet and with the gun still in his trembling hand, he ran away from the room, from the house, from Fernando…

He managed to obtain what he needed and the rest didn't matter. Now, he had just one more thing to do, then his job would be done and he could start thinking about a way to disappear. A tear escaped from his eye, thinking that he was going to leave probably the best thing that had ever happened to him, but he was doing this right for this person. He was doing all of this for Marty, the rest didn't matter at all.


	13. Chapter 13

Once again I would like to thank you all for reading this story and sticking with it. As always a special thanks to purecraziness for her help!

* * *

Chapter 13

The stench of his urine and the suffocating heat awoke him from his restless slumber. His hands were throbbing painfully and he was barely able to clench them.

Deeks didn't know how long he had been in this place, lost in the darkness of the pit and his own soul. His clothes were stuck to his body and his legs were hurting from being crumpled in the narrow space, unable to be stretched completely. In the distance he could hear the sounds of the house's activity, Jarod's car had left and come back four times so he assumed that they had left him to rot in this freaking place for at least a couple of days. His stomach growled from the hunger, but it was not the worst of his problems, because he knew he could survive a little while longer without eating. He was thirsty, craving for a bit of water that could fix his dry throat. Swallowing was getting painful and the physical need associated to the lack of fluids was taking a toll on him.

Instinctively, he banged at the hatch, barely suppressing a scream when his injured hand touched the warm metal of the trapdoor.

"Damn it!" He cursed, biting his lip not to scream, making it bleed. He didn't want to give Madalina and her family any satisfaction of seeing him broken, but every minute that passed, it was getting harder and harder. He would pay for some water and he feared that if they didn't get him out soon, he would start begging them, giving them what they wanted.

He closed his eyes, sighing heavily, trying to control himself when Kensi's voice reached his ears. "Don't give up, Deeks. We're working to bring you home." His heart was engulfed by a deep sadness and he would have cried if he had tears to cry.

"I'm trying, Kens… I'm trying… God knows how much I'm trying, but it's hard…" He murmured as images mixed in front of him. Madalina's creepy face turned into his father's, looking at him with disgust, pitying him, and telling him what kind of failure he was.

Marty shook his head to make the devilish figure go away and a warm sensation touched him. "It's ok, Marty. I'm waiting for you. I want to hear the end of that love story…"

"Bry…" He managed to mutter before darkness engulfed him again and a troubled sleep welcomed him again.

The hatch suddenly opened, waking him up, but it was the cold water reaching his body that brought him to reality in a very traumatic way. Marty shielded his eyes from the sudden light, noticing a familiar figure looking at him.

"The stench emanating from this place was simply unbearable, I couldn't tolerate it any longer!" Madalina yelled angrily. "Get the hell out of here boy and go wash yourself at the well, I don't want you to go inside my house smelling like this! Then join me inside the barn. You have work to do."

Deeks barely made it to hold to the edge of the hole he had been secluded into, his legs were weak and he couldn't keep his eyes open without going completely blind.

"I said go get yourself washed, now! I don't have all day to wait!" Mrs. Francis screamed even louder in his ears.

"I'm… going. Give me, just a moment, Madam…" He muttered as he put some strength on his hands, to lift himself up. He had almost managed to get out when Madalina slammed her bamboo cane on his hand. "Aarrgghh!" He cried out in pain, falling back in the hole.

"I have already told you to show me some respect boy! You better behave if you don't want me to put you in this pit for another couple of days!" She leaned towards him. "Am I making myself clear?"

Marty closed his eyes, fighting the pain in his hand, panting heavily. "Yes, Madam." He replied submissively.

"Much better. Now, get out of that place and join me inside in fifteen minutes." She turned on her heels and moved inside the barn.

The boy was struggling to get out when he felt tiny hands grabbing his wrists, helping him to pull himself up. Once he was out a small form threw herself at him.

"Marty! You're ok! You're finally out!" Bryanna shouted, hugging him tightly.

"Hey, it's ok, Princess. Everything is ok." Deeks said, staring at the little girl and at Derek and Timothy who were standing in front of him, with expectantly eyes. "Are you all ok, guys?"

The three kids nodded in unison.

Bry broke the embrace and took one of his hands. "Does it hurt?" She asked with a tiny, worried voice.

"A… a little bit, but it will pass soon." Marty lied, not wanting to hurt the girl more than she already was. He could see from how puffy her eyes were from crying.

She guided him gently towards the well, allowing him to sit on the edge. First she passed him a glass of fresh water, then she wetted a cloth and started passing it gently across his bleeding hands.

Deeks winced, biting his lip. He didn't want the kids to see in how much pain he was in, but he was aware that he was doing a poor job.

As soon as Bryanna had finished cleaning his hands, she took out a bandage from the front pocket of her apron and applied it on the wounds. "Better now?" She asked after finishing the job.

"Much better." Marty smiled kindly, swallowing to not cry because of the tenderness of her gesture.

"We brought you a clean shirt. This is yours, the one you wore when you arrived. We washed it for you." Derek told him with a tiny voice.

"And these are your jeans." Timothy added.

"What would I do without you guys?" There were tears in Deeks' blue eyes that he was trying to hold but it was almost impossible.

"You've been punished because of me. She hit you because you helped me and closed you in there… this is the least I could do." Bry couldn't resist any longer and looked for his embrace.

Marty knelt, even if his legs protested after being in a uncomfortable position for so long. "Hey, I would do it again, I don't care, ok? I… I am a big boy, I can take this."

Bry buried her face in his chest, making him stumble. "I love you Marty, you're my best friend. No one has ever did anything like this for me."

"That's what's friends are for princess." He managed to hold the three smaller kids in a tight embrace until a voice he wanted to easily forget reached his ears. "Fifteen minutes are over boy! I want you here, now! And you little skunks, go back inside and do what I told you to do."

Deeks broke the hug, caressing and smiling at the younger kids. "We better go. I can't stand hearing her yell anymore. She squawks like a goose!" He winked playfully, making the kids laugh. "Now go, see you for… lunch?"

"It's dinner, Marty!" Derek replied nodding.

"You've been in there for two and half days." Timothy answered Deeks' silent question.

"But you're out now!" Bry almost shouted, hugging him once again, before she followed the two boys inside the house.

Marty watched them leave; he was exhausted, in pain, he wanted to sleep and eat, but after talking with the three children, his heart felt lighter. Just seeing them smile and laugh warmed his soul. "I… I will do everything in my power to get you out of this place. You have my word." He murmured as he started walking towards the barn. He truly meant it. The kids deserved a real life and this wasn't anything close to a real, normal life.

* * *

Kensi was sitting on the couch in the Harrington's living room when her phone rang.

After Callen came home from the hospital the group of friends spent most of their free time here, together, to keep him company and to help him recover from his ordeal. He was getting better, stronger as the days passed, but it was going to take him a lot of time before he would be perfectly fine. At least with his friends with him, he didn't have any chance to get bored or annoyed.

Nell observed Kensi as she walked into the other room, answering the phone. "Has she talked to anyone of you?" She asked to no one specifically.

"Talked about what?" Eric wondered, a bit puzzled by the sudden question.

"About how she's doing, you dumbass!" The petite girl scolded his friend, shaking her head almost in disbelief. "She's been very quiet lately and it's not like Kensi. I… understand that this has to be about Deeks, but…"

"Deeks called her." Sam intervened, standing up. He had noticed Kensi's strange behavior, the fact that she was more silent and distant than usual. She spent a lot of time with them, but her mind was not in the game, she was distracted… absent, not really participating in any conversation or activity.

"What? And why didn't she tell us anything?" Callen straightened up, finding a more comfortable position in the couch he was occupying. "Is he ok?"

"Sincerely, I don't know. I don't have any idea about what they talked about. I know that Deeks called her only because her mother told me the other day. She said that after the call Kensi locked herself up in her room for the whole day." The big boy explained, his eyes were still on the door his friend stepped through to get the phone call.

"Mmmm, I think it was that day she told me she was not feeling well and preferred to spend some time in bed, resting." Nell was a bit disappointed with herself for not seeing the signs of her friend's discomfort.

Eric sighed heavily, casting a glance at the redheaded girl sitting next to him on the carpet. "She misses him and sincerely I understand her. But keeping everything bottled inside is not the best way to face things… we're her friends, we should help her open up."

"Kensi is very reserved when it comes to her personal life, she hates any kind of intrusion. She talks only when she feels very comfortable and when she completely trusts the other person." Sam passed a hand over his face before adding, "We're like brother and sister, we literally grew up together, but she never completely opened up with me, at least not in the way she did with Deeks. He… he found his way through her in a way I never imagined and when Kensi was finally ready to let her shields go down, this happened… Sincerely I don't blame her."

"And that's why we have to do something, because we're not just losing Deeks here. We're losing Kensi as well." Callen stated gravely as he saw Kensi walking towards them. He noticed a different expression on her face, like there was a light in her eyes that wasn't there before. "Hey Kensi, is everything ok?"

"I… it was Evan on the phone. He… he called to tell me that Deeks has been cleared from every accusation. He's not going to face any trial for burglary. It seems that Fernando Zubileta withdrew all the complaints against him." She sank in an armchair, not completely sure of how to take the news.

"Well, this is good, isn't it?" Eric voiced his doubts. "He's not going to juvie… so it must be good."

Kensi took a long deep breath, leaning against the back seat. "Yes, it is…"

"So why are you so sad? Does this have something to do with the call you received the other day?" Nell pressed, realizing that if they wanted to know something from their friend, it was now or never.

"How do you…" Kensi turned to Sam, aware that he couldn't be the only one to know.

"Your mum told me, because she was worried about you…" he told her gently, giving her an encouraging smile.

"Come on Kensi, how can we help you and Deeks if you don't talk to us?" It was Callen who tried to push her a little bit more.

"It's just… I… I don't know, I… He didn't say too much. He told me he was good, but I could feel that he was lying to me, that he was hiding something." Kensi finally started, feeling her tension slowly dissipate as long as she talked. "I asked where he was but I had the impression, the sensation that he couldn't tell me."

"And why did he do it? We all know that you're the only one he is not able to lie to." Nell stood up and moved towards her friend, sitting next to her and putting a hand on her shoulder to comfort her.

"I don't know, he… he tried to joke, to be the Deeks we all know, but I could feel that it was not genuine. Then when we were talking something happened. I heard some noises and a man yelling. Whatever it was, Deeks was immediately on the edge, his voice couldn't hide the worry… the fear. He…" She paused, inhaling deeply to calm her racing heartbeat. "He told me to take care and that he needed to go. I really don't get what happened, but he was truly scared."

Silence fell in the room and no one knew what to say to make her feel better, because all of them shared the same concern, now more than ever.

"I… I fear he's not in a very nice place. I can feel that he needs my help, but I don't know what to do. If only I knew where he was, maybe…" Kensi was fighting an inner battle with her mixed emotions, fears, anger, hate, and hurt. The only thing she knew was that she was losing… badly.

"Did Evan find out anything about the place where that CPS guy took Deeks?" Sam asked, trying to focus everyone's attention on something more practical.

Kensi simply shook her head, unable to talk because of the knot forming in her throat.

"You said Deeks called you, didn't you?" Eric rummaged through his bag and took out his netbook. When he received a nod as an answer he started tapping on the keyboard.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Sam frowned, not very into the whole technology stuff.

"I'm trying to see if I can trace the call Kensi received from Deeks." Eric looked at Kensi behind his glasses. "Can you give me your phone?"

"Can you really do it?" The girl asked, handing him her phone without hesitation.

Callen tilted his head, narrowing his eyes. "Why do I have the feeling that this is not entirely legal?"

"Well, not entirely legal, but it's not like we have any other choice…" The tech muttered without taking his glance away from the screen.

"As long as you don't get the Harringtons in trouble, I'm good with it."

"Don't worry, Callen, Eric knows what he is doing." Nell intervened, realizing that everyone was staring at her. "What? I… Eric showed me once… I… he… no, it's not what you're thinking. He… we're like brother and sister…"

"Nell, I think you better shut up before you embarrass yourself more than you are already doing." Sam couldn't suppress a smirk.

"And… got it!" Eric exclaimed triumphantly. "The call came from a number registered under the name of Jarod Francis who lives up in Lancaster, in the Antelope Valley."

"What? Are you kidding me? But it's… I thought he was still here, in Los Angeles… I…" The disappointment was clear on Kensi's face, it was like someone had punched her in the gut.

"Jarod Francis and his wife Madalina run this shelter, this house where social services takes kids waiting to be fostered by a new family. They've been doing this job for years, welcoming hundreds of kids every year." Eric continued, reading the data he had found.

"And you wonder why I don't like computers…" Sam said, trying to break the tension lingering in the air.

"Deeks didn't sound particularly happy of the new accommodations…"

"Kensi, Deeks is never happy when he is more than half a mile away from the beach!" Callen pointed out but had to stop immediately when he saw the cold stare Kensi gave him.

"You didn't hear his voice… and you among all of us should be the one understanding this better than anyone else. What, being with a family that loves you make you forget what foster care looks like?" There was an uncharacteristic dryness in her voice that surprised everyone.

"Kensi, this is not fair…" Nell attempted to calm down her friends.

"No, Nell. She's… she's right. I should have an idea of what Deeks is going through and I should not make jokes about it." Callen closed his eyes, pushing himself in a more straightened position. "I never heard of that particular place, but I've been to others and… well, not all of them were nice places…"

"There are no complaints about the Francis family, but Jeremy, their son, was arrested a couple of times. Nothing major, but for sure he's not a saint…" Eric reported the last bit of information he got.

Everyone could see Kensi tense, her body language immediately changed. Callen reached for her hand, giving her a support coming from his own experience. "I… I don't like this. I have a bad feeling, I can sense it in my gut."

"But what can we do? It's not like we can go there and bring him home with us!" Sam affirmed and as soon as his last word left his mouth he realized what was going through his friends' mind. "No… you can't think of doing that. I mean, it's against the law and…"

"Sam, you don't have an idea of what those places are like and what they do to you. I'm with Kensi on this one." G said gravely.

"And I'm with Kensi, too." Nell echoed, immediately followed by Eric.

"If Nell is up to the task, so am I." He looked at the others, sensing their wary glance on him. "What, I… well, come on guys, it's just that… seriously…"

A smile escaped from everyone's lips, the first real smile in a long time.

"Ok, assuming that we are going to drive to Lancaster and all, what about Ray? Maybe we should make an effort to find him and tell him what we're doing." Sam knew that they hadn't talked about Martindale in days and even if he didn't want to, he felt guilty. "I promised Deeks that I would have keep him out of trouble…"

Silence fell in the room.

It was Nell who broke it first. "Sam, we don't have the slightest idea of where he is, of what's he's doing, or how to find him. We don't even know where to start!"

"And do you really think that Fernando Zubileta changed his mind so suddenly just because he thought Deeks didn't want to steal his car? Come on guys, you're not that stupid. Zubileta was going to kill Deeks if the cops didn't show up! There's only one reason why he changed his mind." The big boy watched his friend's eyes, one by one.

"Ray…" Kensi sighed heavily.

"You might be right Sam, but in this case, I think there's nothing we can do to stop Ray from going on with his plan. He's already in too deep… and I fear we can't do anything to help him anymore." Callen spoke gravely, his words weighed like stones.

"Yeah, you might be right…" Sam buried his face in his hands. "I… I just have to find the best way to tell it to Deeks once we get him."

Once again the silence fell engulfed the room and this time, no one knew what to say to break it.

* * *

The dark shadows of the night hid him from everyone's sight so the boy was free to observe his target, studying his moves.

Ray had been in this same spot for the past three nights and had found out about the man's routine. He knew that this was the moment to jump into action, it was now or never.

With a steady pace he walked out of the part of the building that had protected him from indiscreet eyes and moved towards the man who was approaching his car in the parking garage.

"I wouldn't move a single muscle if I was you." He said to the man, who froze hearing the sound of the gun cocking.

"If you want my money, my wallet is in the inside pocket of my jacket and my phone is in the right one.

"I don't give a damn about your money!" Ray snapped, turning the man around and looking at him straight in the eyes. "It's nice to see you eye to eye, Mr. Granger."

Granger frowned when the kid said his name, not very relieved even though that it was not a robbery. "Who… how do you know my name? And… what do you want?"

"Wow, too many questions mister." Martindale lifted the gun and aimed it at the man's chest.

"Hey, wait… I truly don't know what you want but maybe it's better if you ask me your questions first!" The man was obviously afraid of what the boy was going to do, but at the same time he was studying his expression, his behavior, the way he moved and talked, trying to understand what kind of person he was facing. Because of his work he had dealt with a lot of troubled kids and even if he had lost his passion lately, he was still very good at reading them.

"Oh, you're trying to be a smartass, nice. Very nice. I wonder if you'll do it again after I start putting some lead into you!" Ray snapped angrily.

"You know you don't want to do that kid…" Granger told him, trying to look very confident and not afraid at all.

"And what the hell do you know about what I want? Just because you're an adult and have such a nice job, such a nice position in this fucking society, you think that you know all the answers?" The kid's hand was trembling, showing how nervous he was. "You know nothing!"

"So tell me about it then, tell me what you want." The man was looking for a chance to make a phone call or at least to warn someone about this situation, but the parking garage was desolately empty and his phone was out of reach. Any sudden movement could cost him his life because the boy was really on the edge.

"I want to know where my friend is! You, sir, took him away from here, from his friends, from his life… even from me! But you don't give a damn about it, because you don't give a damn about other people's lives!"

Owen didn't know why, but the kid's words moved something inside of him. The boy was questioning his job, the way he used to do it in the past, before his work became just a way to get his salary, before the accident. "What's your name, kid?" He asked, surprising the boy.

Ray nervously licked his lips. "Why do you want to know? You don't care about me… you just care about this gun I have aimed at you."

"This is a very good reason to be nice to you, since I don't have any intention to die here in this place and mostly not today since tonight I have tickets for the Clippers' game." Granger saw the kid tense and tilt his head to one side, struggling on his next move. "Ok, ok… No jokes. First, you evidently know my name so I think it's polite if I know yours. And second, if I had to help you, I would like to know who I am helping."

Martindale was taken by surprise by these words, not expecting them at all, mostly because the man sounded honest. "Ray, Ray Martindale." He murmured without thinking twice.

"Well, that's a start, Ray…"

"Now don't get strange ideas. You know my name but we're not becoming friends at all!" The kid told Granger without lowering the gun.

"I never said I wanted to be your friend, especially since you continue aiming that weapon right at my chest." Owen felt like the more he made the boy talk, the better things could go for him and maybe he could buy himself some time to get away from this situation.

"At least you're honest." Ray muttered, instinctively lowering the barrel of the gun. Suddenly, he felt emptied of all of his energy. Fernando Zubileta deserved what he got, deserved his anger, but this man had probably just did his job.

Granger sensed the change in the kid's behavior, so decided to press him a little more, curious to find out what had made him behave like this and made him attempt such a reckless act like almost kidnapping him. "I'm not your enemy."

"Not mine, but probably Marty's!"

"Marty? Who is he?" The man asked the same moment some memories came to his mind. "Wait, I.. I think I know who you're talking about… that kid, the one I found at school, what was his name?" Flashes and images danced in front of Granger's eyes, remembering a tall, lean kid with shaggy hair.

"Marty, his name is Marty Deeks and… he's my best friend, best thing that has ever happened to me in my shitty life!" It was so clear from the tone of the boy's voice how much he cared for his friend, how deep their bond was. "I will do everything to bring him home, no matter how many rules or laws I have to break, I truly don't care. I might be a scoundrel and good for nothing, but Marty… Marty is smart, he has a bright future. He doesn't deserve all this crap you threw at him. He can take care of himself and he has friends who can look after him. He doesn't need anything else other than to come home…"

"And are you willing to throw away your own life for him?" The loyalty in the kid almost shocked Owen, not used to this kind of affection anymore, of this unconditioned respect and love.

"Of course! I am not a genius, well I'm the farthest thing from it. I have known since the day I started thinking with my mind that I would never achieve anything in my life, anything good at least, but Marty… Marty is different. The first time I saw him, he had that light in his eyes, that sparkle… he never looked at me like I was an idiot, he always respected me and saw the best in me, because this is the way he is. That kid had one of the shittiest lives ever, but he has always got a smile for everyone. One day, he will make a difference… because it's in his nature." Ray almost had tears in his eyes. "I don't give a damn about me, about my future, if I can give him a chance… that's all I'm asking for, a chance…" His legs suddenly failed him and he found himself sitting on the ground, the gun was completely forgotten, his hands were in his hair.

Granger didn't remember a day in which he was so moved by something and never expected it to be today, because of a kid who was pointing a gun at him just a few moments ago. Ray had showed him what his job should be about. It should be all about giving a future to the kids who probably will never have one, giving them a chance. Deep inside of him, he knew that if he did his job correctly, he could make a difference for those kids… deep inside he knew, sadly, that leaving them to people like the Francis' family was far from being the best solution. "Ah hell!" He grabbed the kid and put him on his feet.

"Are you going to call the cops now?" Ray asked, his voice emotionless, like he had lost all of his strength, his will to fight.

"Hell to the cops! Come on, come with me!" Owen grabbed the boy by his arms, but he resisted.

"Where are you going to take me? I have a family… my mother is taking care of…"

"Oh shut up kid! When you said you're not a genius, I thought you were exaggerating, but right now I'm starting to have some doubts!"

Martindale stared at the man with a wary expression, puzzled, not understanding what was going on.

Granger rolled his eyes. "I'm taking you to your friend, genius! We're going to bring him home!"

Ray's face lightened up, unable to hide his shock and surprise. "Are you serious? You're not making a fool of me…"

"Not kidding at all. I… I don't know why I am doing this, because sincerely I can't understand it myself, but if you shut up, maybe I won't regret it immediately."

"No, of course, shutting up… right now… not talking… no regrets… obviously… and I am still talking…" The boy babbled.

Owen Granger smiled, for the first time in ages he gave someone a real and full smile. "Get in the car, kid. Your friend is waiting."

Ray didn't really know what had just happened, but his heart was pounding in his chest. Maybe, once in his life, he was doing something good, something not selfish… something worth it. "You don't have to tell me twice." And without adding anything else, he jumped in the car. "Hang in there, Marty. I'm coming, little brother. I'm coming to you."


	14. Chapter 14

Time for a new chapter. A big thank you to all of you who are still reading this and a big one to purecraziness for her help.

* * *

Chapter 14

The moment he sat at the table for dinner, Deeks knew that keeping his eyes open would be a tough task to accomplish. He was literally exhausted after a long afternoon working in the barn and mostly after more than two days spent in the dark pit with no food or water. If he allowed his body to relax, he would probably fall asleep right here, right now, and sincerely if it wasn't for the throbbing pain radiating from his hands, he would have already succumbed to his tiredness.

Madalina placed the plate with the food in front of him, looking at him with a cold stance that chilled his bones. The woman was not happy and it was obvious from every little gesture she made and from the poisonous tone in her voice.

Marty waited for everyone to be served and for the Francis family to start eating, as they had been instructed to do, and finally picked up the fork to bring the food to his mouth, but the piece of cutlery fell from his hand because of the pain and the complete lack of sensitivity.

"What the hell boy? Are you such a failure, so weak, that you can't even keep a fork in your freaking hand?" Madalina yelled angrily while Jeremy couldn't stop himself from laughing.

"He's just an idiot, mum. A fucking idiot!" The younger Francis said, becoming serious. With a quick gesture, he grabbed Marty's hand and squeezed it, feeling the boy tense under his hold. "You are not so blusterous anymore, are you kid?"

Deeks was trying hard not to cry out, but agony was spreading from his bandaged hand through his whole body.

Madalina laughed into her sleeve, pleased with her son's behavior, finally showing her that he has a bit of backbone.

Marty shut his eyes, trying to fight the pain and when he was on the edge of screaming, a deep voice resounded in the room.

"Enough, Jeremy!" Jarod intervened, without even stopping what he was doing. He continued eating, his eyes on the plate. "I need him tomorrow to work in the barn. He will be no use to me if he can't move his hands."

Jeremy stared in horror at his father who had ruined his moment of glory. He cast a questioning glance at his mother who nodded solemnly. "Son of a bitch!" He murmured between ground teeth, before squeezing the hand he was holding one more time and then finally releasing it.

Deeks moaned, immediately taking his throbbing limb to his chest. He could see a bit more blood seep from the bandage while the pain was simply too much.

Madalina noticed his discomfort and was satisfied. The kid needed to be taught some lessons. Since the moment she saw him get out of Granger's car, she knew he was trouble; she could smell troublemakers even at a long distance and this boy, for sure, was one of them. "Eat now. You have fifteen minutes to finish what you have in your plate. Then go straight to your rooms."

Marty attempted to grab the fork, but he was shaking so badly that it was very hard for him to do it. He cursed himself for being so weak, so whiny, giving Jeremy and his mother the satisfaction to see him so helpless.

His eyes landed first on Timothy and Derek and then on Bryanna. Their unshed tears, their scared expressions almost broke his heart, but at the same time gave him extra strength, extra motivation. Using all of his willpower, he smiled at them to reassure them that everything was all right, that he was fine. The two boys smiled back and a bit more relaxed, went back to their food.

Bryanna's eyes softened while she gently caressed his hand, helping him to get the fork and use it. She gave him a grateful nod and a kind smile to encourage him.

The kid slowly managed to eat even if every bite needed him to give a great effort and at the end of the fifteen minutes he cleaned his plate, finally filling his empty stomach.

Once again, Bry sent him a big grin, pleased of his accomplishment.

Madalina observed the silent exchange among the four kids and she felt slightly uncomfortable. The older boy had a bad influence on the others who took strength from him, something that had never happened before, something that she couldn't accept.

This place had always been working perfectly because the kids she had in custody did what she told them to do, without questioning her authority. This little punk was changing the cards on the table and she couldn't accept it. Her eyes landed on the blond boy who was, in spite of the pain he was clearly in, smiling at the other children and her anger boiled. This was unacceptable and mostly disrespectful towards her and her family. "Go to your rooms now!" She ordered dryly, but as the kids got up to leave, she grabbed Marty's elbow, stopping him. "You stay and clean up this mess."

Deeks turned towards Bryanna, Timothy, and Derek, reassuring them with a nod. "Yes, Madam." He muttered as he started doing what the woman asked him to do.

Jeremy's eyes narrowed and a devilish grin curled his lips. His hand moved furtively, pushing the dishes on the edge of the table and then, nonchalantly, he slid his foot.

Marty was busy doing his task that he didn't see it and stumbled upon it. He fell to the floor, dragging along with him the dishes he was holding and the one that was on the table. As he hit the ground, the first feeling he was aware of was pain, intense and excruciating, in his hands.

"What the hell are you doing, idiot?" The younger Francis yelled angrily, jumping to his feet. "Look at what you've done… look at this!"

Madalina stared at the boy with a cold eyes. "You better clean this mess immediately if you don't want to end in the pit once again." She kicked glass shards toward the kid with a little bit too much strength.

Deeks started collecting all the pieces, all the fragments. In the corner of his eyes, he could see Bryanna who wanted to go and help him, but he stopped her with a quick gesture of his hand. "No!" He told her.

"What the hell are you still doing here? Haven't you heard my mum? Go to your rooms!" Jeremy shouted, scaring the three younger kids who turned around and climbed the stairs towards the first floor. "And you move, because I need my coffee and I can't have it with all of this stuff around!"

Marty was holding some shards when his hands failed him. "Damn it!" He cursed as the sound of broken dishes echoed once again in the kitchen.

Mrs. Francis rushed at his side, brandishing her bamboo cane and she slammed it on the boy's hands. "You clumsy little bastard! Do you know how much you cost me tonight?"

Even if he tried not to, Deeks cried out, because of the intense pain. He felt the woman grab him by his shirt and lift him up.

"I asked you a question? Do you have any idea how much you cost me, boy?" She yelled furiously.

"Not enough?" The kid couldn't stop himself from making a witty remark.

Her expression became even angrier, her eyes were full of rage. She lifted the cane to hit him again, but a strong hand clenched her wrist, stopping her.

"Enough." Jarod told her calmly. He towered her, being much taller, but the woman didn't seem very impressed.

"What the hell are you doing, Jarod? This little bastard needs a lesson!"

"I said enough. He had his lesson today and we all know that he tripped and fell because of Jeremy." The big man put the kid on his feet. "Go back to your room. And shut up, before I change my mind." He waited for the boy to move and when he saw that Deeks didn't start walking, he screamed. "Now!" His baritone voice resounded in the whole house.

Marty climbed the stairs and reached his room. As soon as he closed the door behind himself, he leaned his back against it and slid down until he sat on the floor. He was on the verge of crying while mixed feelings engulfed him. He was sad and mad at the same time, desperate and furious. His heart was pounding in his chest, ready to explode. He had never felt so hopeless and so angry at the same time in a long while and the last time that had happened, didn't end very well. He knew he had to get his rage under control, because right now, it was not only his life at stake, but also the other kids. He was sure that the Francis' would hurt the other children only to have a bit of control on him, to punish him. Sincerely, he couldn't allow this.

He clenched his fists, regretting it immediately when an intense agony spread through his hands, making him tremble. "Damn it!" He cursed as a lonely tear rolled down his cheek. "Don't be weak, don't be weak." Marty repeated, hoping to give himself some strength, but as the time flew, it was getting harder and harder. He was ready to give up, to finally burst out crying, when he heard a soft knock at the door.

"Marty?" A tiny voice he recognized immediately called for him. "Can you open the door? Please?"

No matter how hard he tried, Deeks couldn't resist Bryanna. He got up, carefully passed a hand on his face to compose himself and then opened the door.

The little girl walked inside, rushing towards him and throwing her arms around him. She didn't say anything, unable to talk between her sobs. She simply held him tightly.

Marty was taken aback by her action and felt his heart break to pieces. "Hey, it's ok, Princess. Everything is ok."

"No, it's not ok!" She replied stubbornly, breaking the embrace. "You're hurt…" She gently took his hands, guided him towards the bed, and started removing the bandages.

"Hey, what… what are you doing?" He wondered curiously.

Bry walked back towards the door and picked up a plastic bag she had dropped when she had hugged him. Opening it, she revealed the contents that consisted of some fresh bandages, cotton, and disinfectant. "Let me, please…" With dexterity, she cleaned the nasty and encrusted wounds with the disinfectant.

Deeks winced and moaned, but tried to remain stoic, biting his lips and keeping his eyes shut.

"I'm sorry, Marty, I know it hurts, but… if we don't clean them, they might get infected." She explained calmly, even if her voice didn't completely hide her concern.

"Who… who taught you how to do this?" The boy asked with his eyes still closed. He was literally in hell, but he couldn't show his weakness. He needed to remain strong.

"My mum was a nurse once, then she… she lost her job because… well something happened, but she always showed me how to clean an injury, telling me that I might need it."

"She taught you well and she would be proud of you." Marty hissed when the disinfectant touched a particularly deep cut.

Bry stopped for a moment, giving him time to collect himself. She might be young, but she could see how much pain he was in and how nasty his injuries were. "Do you really think she would be proud of me?"

He opened his eyes to look into her teary ones. Ignoring his wounds, he caressed her face. "I'm more than sure, I am very proud of you, Princess."

A big smile curled her lips as she went back to her job. After a few long minutes, she exclaimed triumphantly, "Done! How does it feel?"

Deeks observed his bandaged hands and was truly surprised by her great work. "Awesome." He clenched and unclenched his fingers, biting the inside of his mouth not to show her how painful the gesture was, just to make her feel proud of herself.

A big grin brightened up her whole expression, but it didn't last too long. "I want to go away from here. I want my mummy…"

Marty's heart shattered as he guided her into his arms. "It's going to be fine, little one. I… I promised you that I would get you out of here and I will do it. You have my word."

"But Marty, they hurt you… and they will do it again if you…"

He silenced her by putting a fingers on her lips. "I don't mind getting hurt if I can spare you, Timothy, and Derek the pain. I'm a big boy, I can take it…" He gave her a reassuring smile.

"But it's not right. Why is Mrs. Francis so bad? We didn't do anything wrong… It's not our fault…"

How do you explain to a little girl the evilness of people? Little girls like Bryanna should only think about playing with dolls or with their friends, not worry about being hurt by evil adults.

"No, it's not, but we're the good guys and the good guys always have their happy ending." He told her, stroking her hair.

"I…" Bry was replying when the door burst open and Madalina appeared on the doorstep.

"Time to go back to your room, girl!" The woman shouted. She walked towards the two kids and grabbed the girl with violence, taking her away from Deeks.

"Marty!" Bryanna cried out, stretching her arms towards the boy.

"Shut up, little bitch!" The woman slapped the little girl with too much strength. She immediately saw the kid's reaction, but she stopped him threateningly. "Don't you dare move a single step or I will let her taste my cane before sending her in the pit!"

Marty stopped immediately, swallowing at the idea of sweet Bryanna in the dark pit. "It's ok, Bry. Go to your room and get some sleep. I'll see you in the morning." He smiled feebly.

The girl sniffled but nodded and allowed the woman to drag her away.

Deeks felt the door of Bry's room being opened first and a few seconds later, being locked with the key. Then Madalina showed up again in his room.

"You think I'm an idiot, don't you? Bad news for you, boy. I'm far from being an idiot and you are no better than me. You will learn to respect me, it's up to you whether it's done in the nice way or the hard way."

The boy's eyes sent daggers to her.

"I will take away that snotty expression from your face…" She had the bamboo cane in her hands and she toyed with it. "You just need to be taught a lesson…"

"Others have already tried…" Deeks couldn't help himself from replying angrily. "Madam…"

"Others weren't me! Get on your knees, boy!" She ordered. "Get on your damn knees or I swear to God I will go start hitting those three good for nothing kids!"

Marty was fuming, but he couldn't risk the kids' safety so he knelt in front of the woman.

"Show me your hands."

Reluctantly, swallowing hard preparing himself for further pain, he showed her his bandaged hands.

A cunning grin lightened up on Madalina's face as she walked behind him and hit him on his back.

Deeks bit his lip to not cry out, but he felt the burning sensation of a bruise forming.

Another blow hit him, and another and another… and another one, but he managed not to moan or scream.

"This is enough for today. Just call it a warning." She walked by him and stepped through the door, locking it with the key.

As soon as she walked out, Marty collapsed on the floor, cuddling into a fetal position, and started crying until he didn't have any tears left. Eventually he cried himself to sleep.

* * *

Deeks didn't know how long he had been sleeping or better, tossing on the floor, when he woke up. He wanted to move to the bed, but his body simply refused to do it. His back, where the freaking cane had hit him, was on fire and his hands were throbbing fiercely, giving him nightmares.

In the distance he could hear people screaming loudly; he recognized Madalina and Jarod's voices and another one, more muffled, that probably belonged to Jeremy. He couldn't understand what they were saying, but it was obvious that they were arguing in a very bad way.

Perfect, not only he couldn't sleep, but those sickos were screaming so loud that people could hear them from the town.

Marty tried to find a more comfortable position, but as soon as he moved, every little bit of his body protested vehemently, making itself noticeable, sending waves of excruciating pain everywhere and taking his breath away.

"Come on, Marty, get your shit together!" He murmured as a familiar face appeared in front of his eyes. "Kensi…" He whispered while stretching his arms, hoping to touch her, to connect with her.

_Don't give up, Deeks. Just don't give up. We're coming._ The vision told him. Kensi's expression softened as she smiled at him.

"It's hard, Kensi. It's so hard… I don't know if I can do it, if I can hold on any longer…" Tears rolled down his cheek, once again burning his sleepy eyes. "I'm such a failure, just useless."

_You're far from useless. Show them what kind of person you are. Fight!_

The words sunk into Marty's soul, touching him deeply. Kensi truly believed in him, she didn't see him like just a piece of trash. She saw him as a person, a good one.

Collecting all of his energy, Deeks pushed himself into sitting position first, then on his knees, and finally on his feet and slowly, he moved towards the bed, burying himself, face down, into it.

He closed his eyes and it didn't take him too long to slip into unconsciousness.

The second time he woke up, he could still hear people screaming, but immediately he felt a knot forming in his stomach, contorting it. He could sense that there was something wrong, it was a feeling that literally chilled his bones. He cracked his eyes open and a strange light came from outside, lighting up the usually dark house.

"What the…?" He wondered, forcing himself to sit up on the bed. And then he saw it. Fire! The whole house was burning and the screams he heard were the Francis family still yelling at each other.

"Oh hell!" He cursed, forcing himself to stand and rushing towards the door. He grabbed the knob to open it but found an unexpected resistance. And then he remembered that Madalina had locked the door. "Fucking bitch!" He screamed as he tried with all of his strength to open the door. "Damn it!"

He started slamming his hands, ignoring the pain spreading through them, hoping that someone would come and get him out of the room. "Help! Somebody help!" He yelled at the top of his lungs but no one seemed to hear him. "Is there anyone out there? Help!"

Instinctively, he kicked the door and punched it, but it didn't give in. "No, no… no…" He muttered as desperation was growing inside of him. And then he heard it. A voice... a tiny, scared voice, that literally froze him where he stood.

"Marty! Marty, help me!"

"Bry!" Realization hit him like a running truck. Bryanna was trapped inside her room as well and there was no way she could get out if someone didn't help her.

"Marty, I can't get out. The door is locked and there's a fire… I'm scared, Marty. I'm so scared…" The little girl was literally crying asking for his help and he didn't know what to do.

"Bry, calm down. I'm... I'm coming to get you. Just stay calm." Marty tried once again to open the door, horrified when he saw a bit of smoke filtering from it. "No, this is not good, not good at all!" He grabbed a couple of t-shirts from his closet and put them on the ground. He knew that if they were wet it would be much better, but he didn't have any water in his room. He passed his hands through his hair nervously, trying to calm himself down and think. "Think, Marty… think!"

"Marty, there's smoke coming inside…" Bryanna shouted at the top of her lungs.

"Bry, can you open the window?" Deeks told her. He waited for a reply, knowing that she was probably trying to do it.

"No, it's blocked! There's no way out, Marty…" The panic in her voice was increasing.

Marty attempted to open the window of his room, but it was blocked too. "Son of a bitch!" It came to his mind that Jeremy had put some locking device so they couldn't sneak out of the rooms during the night. "Oh hell to that!"

Without thinking twice, Marty took the old chair standing in the corner of the room and, with all of the energy he had left, launched it against the window, causing it to shatter into a million of pieces. "Bry, hold on, I'm coming to get you. Just hold on, ok?" No answer. "Bry? Bry, did you hear me?"

"Hurry Marty…" The little girl murmured with a feeble voice filled with coughs.

The boy climbed through broken window and stepped outside, on the ledge. He took a couple of deep breaths, but the air was not as fresh as he hoped. He spent a moment to observe the scene in front of his eyes. The fire had spread from the barn towards the house that was already engulfed by high flames. It was a horrible but a fascinating view at the same time. Deeks shook himself from staring and concentrated on his task. The pain in his back and hands completely forgotten due to the adrenaline pumping in his system.

He started carefully walking on the ledge, avoiding looking down as he moved towards the closest window that he knew led inside the house in the corridor. As soon as he reached it, he tried to open it, but the window didn't give up. "Oh hell!" He cursed, slamming his elbow against the glass and shattering it. His hand easily found the knob and a second later he jumped inside.

The acre smell of smoke reached his nostrils and throat and immediately he started coughing. The flames were, not so slowly, spreading and soon the whole wing of the house would be engulfed by them.

His eyes burnt but he knew he couldn't stop. Marty rushed towards Bryanna's room. "Bry? Bry, can you hear me? I'm here to help you. Bry?" He called but the little girl didn't answer, causing him to panic.

"No, no…" He tried to force the door open, but once again, it resisted. "Damn it!" He cried out angrily. Breathing was getting hard and he was aware that he didn't have much time left. "Bry, if you can hear me, I'm going to break down the door, so stay away from it." Without waiting for an answer, he pushed the door with his shoulder, one... two… three times and finally it gave in.

"Bry! Bryanna?!" He called desperately as an intense wave of heat surrounded him and air was sucked from his lungs. "Come on, Princess, where are you?" He wondered, coughing.

And then he saw her. The little girl was cramped in a corner with the fire that was almost reaching her. Her eyes were closed and she was not moving.

Marty rushed to get her, relieved when he found a rhythmic heartbeat. "It's ok, Princess, I've got you. I'm getting you out of here. Hold on, Bry, just hold on a while longer." He picked her up gently, holding her protectively in his arms with one hand behind her head the other behind her legs.

He was out of the room quickly, but the flames were engulfing everything. It was hard to see where he was going and he was starting to feel a bit oxygen deprived. His breathing was getting troubled, but he couldn't stop, he couldn't give up. No matter what was going to happen, he was going to get Bryanna to safety.

By instinct, he reached the stairs and started climbing down them rapidly, uncaring of the hell that was surrounding him. He was close to the door when he heard a cracking sound coming from above his head. He lifted his stare just in time to see part of the roof collapsing. He was quick enough to move and avoid being crushed by the debris.

Deeks knew that he would never reach the door, it was too far away by now and his path was blocked. He had only one chance.

"The window…" He whispered with a raspy voice as more smoke reached his already dry throat. There was a window a few feet away from him, but high flames blocked his way to it.

Marty dragged Bryanna's body towards his chest, holding her closer, as close as he could. His hand was still on the back of her head. "Ok, ok, ok…" He puffed repeatedly and rapidly, then he started running.

An intense heat engulfed him, taking his breath away, sucking the air from his lungs. For a moment, he thought he was not going to make it, it was just too much, but then he remembered the little girl in his arms. He forced his legs to move, one step after another. Completely blind because of the fire and the smoke, Marty saw a glimpse of the window. Without thinking twice, he jumped.

He landed on the dry grass in an explosion of pieces of glass and wood. Aware that they were not safe yet, he laboriously put himself on his feet, with Bryanna still in his arms, and started walking away. He managed to take just a few steps when his body failed him and he collapsed on the ground. Exhausted.

The air seemed fresher here and he breathed better. He inhaled deeply, closing his eyes.

Deeks was still there when he felt strong arms pulling him and Bryanna up. He cracked one eye open only to see Jarod dragging them a little further away from the burning house until they were finally safe.

Only in that moment, Marty let go the little girl. "Bry… Bry come on, wake up?" He gently slapped her, hoping that she would wake up.

A coughing fit hit him and tears rolled down his cheeks while his eyes burnt. He had to lean his head on his forearms on the ground to fight the fit. When it finally ended, he straightened himself up, only to find Bryanna staring at him.

"Marty…" She whispered, throwing herself at his neck and hugging him tightly. "Oh Marty, you saved me. I was so scared."

"It's ok, Princess… it's ok… everything is fine… It's over…" tears flowed and this time it was not because of the smoke. They were happy tears. The two kids remained like that for a few seconds then they broke apart.

Marty stood up, next to Jarod. Jeremy and Madalina were just a few feet behind them. He was panting heavily, almost unable to breathe properly because of the huge amount of smoke he inhaled. His mind was foggy, but something bugged him. Something was not right, something… NO!

Deeks clenched Jarod's arm with all of his strength. "Where are Timothy and Derek?"

The older man looked at him with a lost expression in his grey eyes. For a moment Marty thought that he was crying.

"NO! We need to help them! They are still inside!"

"It's too late kid… it's too late." The big man told him with a broken voice.

"No, it's not too late!" Deeks turned towards Madalina and her son. "You need to help me get them out. We can't leave them in that place."

"I don't give a damn about those two little punks. They should have gotten out by themselves!" Madalina said with disgust.

"By themselves? You bitch! You locked the doors! How could they get out?" Marty yelled angrily before a coughing fit hit him again.

"I don't have any intention of going in that hell to save those two boneless kids." Jeremy echoed his mother's words.

Tears filled Marty's blue eyes. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "You're monsters… you're just monsters. They are kids, they are just kids…" He started walking backwards, heading back to the burning house.

Jarod grabbed his arm, stopping him. "It's too dangerous, kid. And probably too late. Look at the house…"

Deeks turned to look at the burning house and his stomach contorted in pain from thinking about the two younger kids. "No, the area where their rooms are is still standing. I… I can't let them die. I simply can't…" He wriggled from the man's grip and ran toward the hell in front of him.

He didn't look back because he didn't want to see Bryanna's terrified face while she desperately called for him. "MARTY!"

Deeks disappeared into the flames… Long endless minutes passed, then a rumbling sound echoed in the air and the house collapsed, burning down everything and burying everyone trapped inside.


	15. Chapter 15

Thank you all for reading and supporting this story. And bit thank you to purecraziness, she is simply and amazingly patient with me ;)

* * *

Chapter 15

"How long?" Kensi asked, peeking out from the back seat of Sam's pickup truck where she was sitting between Eric and Nell. Callen, because of his recent, still healing injuries, was in the front seat. No matter how hard his friends had tried to convince him to stay at home, he wanted to come along.

"Kensi, we're just five minutes closer than we were when you asked the last time!" Sam replied, rolling his eyes. He could understand his friend's impatience but driving with someone who asked every five minutes how far they were to their final destination was not very nice. "We're almost there." He added as his voice softened.

Kensi realized that she had probably been a bit too insistent, but she couldn't help herself. She couldn't wait to arrive at the place Deeks had been taken to and mostly she couldn't wait to see him after almost a month. "Sorry guys, but… I… I don't know, I… I have a bad feeling."

"Bad feeling? Maybe you're just too anxious to see Deeks…" Callen tried to dampen her concern, but deep inside he had the same exact feeling. He didn't know why, but his stomach was knotted and contorted. He knew something was wrong, he could sense it, but he didn't want to show it to his friends.

"No! I mean… yes, maybe but… there's something more…" The brunette stated, clenching her hands into the headrest of Callen's seat.

"Well, soon we will find out," Nell intervened, pointing at the satellite navigation system on her tablet. "GPS says that we're fifteen minutes away from the Francis' house."

"Yes… fifteen minutes." Kensi bit her lip nervously. Fifteen minutes. What was she going to do once they got there? She hadn't thought about it yet. Her mind had only been focused on seeing Deeks, but they couldn't just show up at the door asking for him.

"What's this?" Eric suddenly asked.

"What's this what?" Sam wondered.

"This noise, can't you hear it? It sounds like a… like a siren." The geek insisted.

Callen turned off the radio and then they all heard it; the clear sound of a siren approaching.

Before they could realize it, two fire trucks overtook them, immediately followed by another vehicle.

"What the hell…?" Kensi asked. Her words died in her throat as she saw in the distance the long tongues of fire that stood high like they wanted to reach the sky. "Oh my God… Tell me that it's not… that… Oh God…"

Silence fell in the car as no one dared to say a single word. If possible, Sam accelerated, pushing on the pedal, Kensi clenched the headrest even tighter, Callen gripped on the handle like it was ready to jump out of the car. In the back seat, Nell surfed nervously through her tablet while Eric took off his glasses and cleaned them, keeping himself busy.

Less than fifteen minutes later they reached their destination and the scene in front of their eyes was simply terrifying, almost apocalyptic. What it had been an old barn was just a pile of ashes at the moment while the house next to it was still burning.

The kids jumped out of the car, rushing towards the fire.

"Deeks!" Kensi screamed desperately, hoping to see the mop of blond hair of her friend, her… boyfriend… the person she probably care the most about right now, but in vain. "Deeks!" She yelled again.

Her screams attracted the attention of a couple of firemen. "I'm sorry kids, but you can't stay here. It's too dangerous."

"We have to see our friend. He… he was in this house… please we just want to know if he is ok." Callen asked, he wanted to be stoic and not sound pathetic, but he realized that his voice betrayed his concern.

"I understand, but we can't let you go any closer… the place is close to completely collapsing and we're afraid that there could be a stock of gas cylinders inside that might explode." The taller fireman explained to them.

"Are… are there any… victims?" Kensi asked with such a cold voice that it chilled everyone's bones.

The two firemen looked at her and then at each other, nodding.

The older one took off his helmet, passing his hand through his grey hair. "It seems that three kids are still inside. From what we know, one of them managed to get that little girl out," he indicated a girl, no more than eight-nine years old who had been treated by the paramedics. "And then went back inside when he found out that two other kids were still inside."

Kensi's face paled, knowing immediately who that kid was, and her heart started beating madly in her chest. "Deeks…" She whispered almost inaudibly as she felt a couple of reassuring and supporting hands of her friends on her shoulders and back.

The taller and younger fireman sighed heavily, closing his eyes. He hated this part of his job. "I'm sorry… I… I am truly sorry."

It was in that moment that a tiny voice shook them all. "Mister Fireman, did you find Marty, Timothy, and Derek? Are they coming out soon?" Bryanna said, grabbing the fireman's hand. She had sneaked away from the paramedics to talk to these men that could give her an answer.

"No, they haven't found your friends yet, but they are doing everything possible." Nell intervened, receiving a grateful nod from the firemen. "My name is Nell and my friends and I are here because we're Marty's friends."

The little girl studied the five newcomers and her lips curled into a smile. "Oh…. You're here!" She threw herself into Nell's embrace.

"It's ok, little one, it's ok." The petite redhead comforted Bryanna. "What's your name?" She asked, wiping away the tears from her face, still dirty with black soot.

"I'm Bryanna… and you are Nell, the pixie." Bry said, then turning to the other kids. "You are Eric, the computer genius, you are Sam the grumpy protector, you're Callen the lone wolf, and you…" She looked at Kensi and her expression softened. "You are Kensi… and it's a love story…"

Kensi was trying so hard to hold the tears. She couldn't believe that Deeks had told this girl so many things about them that Bryanna could recognize them so well. And those words about her… Her eyes moved to the burning house and she knew that she couldn't hold on any longer. Uncaring of the fact that the others could see her like that, she burst out crying.

She was still sobbing when she felt a little hand took hers. "Kensi, why are you crying?"

The brunette stared at the little girl, almost in disbelief. "Bryanna, I… it's just that… Deeks is…" She couldn't go on and once again, she cast a glance at the horrific sight of the fire.

"Is Marty… is he…" Bry hesitated while her face darkened, realizing what might have happened. "Is Marty dead? He can't be dead, he promised me that he would take me away from this place. It's… it's horrible here. They are always very bad with us." Her eyes moved to a group of three people standing next an ambulance.

Sam and Callen instinctively looked at the small group, assuming that they were the Francis' and their fists clenched. The three people, a woman and two men, looked practically unscathed, they were not even a little dirty, while Bryanna was covered with dust and soot from head to toe.

"No, he… he is not dead." Kensi didn't know why but just saying those few words gave her strength and hope. Until the firemen found Deeks and those two kids' bodies, they were still alive. And she had to believe it, more than anything in this whole world. "And Deeks always keeps his word."

"Yes, he told me that." Bry smiled, reassured.

"Bryanna, what did you mean when you said that the Francis' were always bad with you?" Callen wondered, remembering some of his bad experiences with foster families. He truly hoped that what this little girl and Deeks went through was not as bad as he remembered.

The little girl moved closer to Kensi, like she found courage in this little gesture. "They always yell at us and make us do a lot of work. And if we don't do like they want, they punish us. A few days ago… I… I broke the dishes and Jeremy started yelling at me. Marty came to help me but Mrs. Francis got mad and punished him. She…" Tears were rolling down her face as she talked, remembering the episode. "She made him kneel and then hit his hands with a bamboo cane. They were bleeding but she continued hurting him and then she… put him in the pit for more than two days… Last night, she locked us in our rooms and I couldn't get out and there was the fire and I… I couldn't breathe… and Marty…" She couldn't continue anymore. She buried her face into Kensi's stomach.

The group of kids and the two firemen were shocked by her words.

"Oh my God…" One of the two men said, looking at the burning house, realizing what had happened. Their rooms would have been their tombs if the older kid hadn't jumped into action. His eyes moved to the Francis family and a hint of hate darkened his expression. "Those pieces of shit…"

"Glenn, language." The older firemen scolded his partner, sharing his feelings though.

"Sorry," Glenn apologized, smiling at Bryanna. "Look, we're going to see if our colleagues found your friends, ok? But you stay here, ok? It's very dangerous over there." He moved his stare to Kensi. He deeply wanted to give this girl good news, especially after he heard the little girl's story, but he had seen too many fires, too many things like this one and hopes were really thin.

The two firemen started walking towards their fire truck when the loud noise was heard all around. Part of the house exploded and a long series of shouts could be heard coming from the group of firemen using the hose, attempting to extinguish the fire.

"NO!" Kensi shouted as she tried to get closer, but Sam grabbed her from behind and stopped her. "Let me go, Sam… please, let me go!" She cried out desperately, sinking to her knees like her whole world had just crumbled down. "No… Deeks…"

Nell knelt next to her, holding her shoulders. "Kensi…"

"It's over Nell… it's over." The brunette murmured, allowing her friend to hold her tightly. "He's gone… Deeks is gone…"

"Kensi, come on…" The petite redhead tried to calm her friend but it was almost impossible since her own face was signed with tears.

The two girls were so lost in their grief that she almost didn't hear Bryanna talk. "There… over there…" Without any warning the little girl started running towards a commotion that had just ignited not so far from them. "Marty!" She screamed.

Like she was hit by an electrical discharge, Kensi lifted her head and saw a couple of firemen walking out of the fire, each one of them holding a boy in their arms. Another smaller form was literally leaning against the sturdier fireman, stumbling at every step, but still moving.

"Deeks…. DEEKS!" She couldn't believe her own eyes. She jumped on her feet and followed Bryanna.

Some paramedics and police officers stopped them. "You can't go behind this line."

"But we have to go there. My friend… my friend is there!" Kensi protested, trying to pass by the men.

"I'm sorry, but you can't do that…"

"Marty! Timothy… Derek!" Bry called as she saw the two firemen walking towards them while another one was helping Deeks who seemed very unsteady on his legs.

The little group moved towards the ambulances and immediately paramedics started to check on the kids.

Kensi grabbed Bryanna's hand and guided her away.

"I want to see my friends. Kensi, please… let me go." The little girl protested, trying to wriggle from the firm grip.

"Me too, Bryanna." The brunette circled the group of ambulances and finally she found a way to reach the one where Deeks was being treated. "Deeks!" She cried out as she finally saw him, covering her mouth because of his appearance.

Marty heard a familiar voice, something he thought he would never hear again. "Kensi…" He whispered, taking off the oxygen mask placed on his mouth and nose. Uncaring of the protest of the paramedic who was treating him, he stood up and walked towards Kensi.

A second later he felt her arms around him while other tiny arms were hugging his legs.

"Deeks…" Kensi muttered, unable to say anything more, hugging him close.

"Marty, you're alive!" Bry shouted happily while Deeks' hand stroked her hair.

"It's ok, Princess…. It's over now." Marty told the little girl, smiling kindly. Then, his eyes met Kensi's and everything disappeared, everything but her. "You're here… you're really here."

She was still smiling at him when a coughing fit hit him, shaking his whole body. Deeks fell to his knees, still coughing. He cast a pained glance at Kensi until his eyes rolled back. Everything went black and he collapsed into Kensi's arms.

"Deeks! Deeks!" She called him, before shouting for help. "Help! Somebody help me!"

* * *

He blinked repeatedly and tried to swallow but his throat felt like sandpaper and it hurt, it hurt fiercely. Once images came into focus, Deeks panicked and sat up, attempting to take off the mask that once again had been placed on his face. "Derek! Timothy!" He tried to scream, but talking was so painful that his words came out as an agonized cry.

"Calm down kid… calm down." Someone he didn't recognize told him, putting the mask back at its place and pushing him back on the stretcher.

"My… friends?" He literally begged with a hoarse voice, before a coughing fit shook him from head to toe. Breath was sucked away from his lungs that seemed to be on fire.

"Try to breathe through the mask, slowly… just one breath after another…" The same man instructed him.

Deeks closed his eyes to fight the pain and slowly tried to follow the advice. After what felt like a lifetime, the fit finally ended and he was able to breathe again. "How… are my… friends?"

The man, a tall paramedic in his late twenties, gave him a kind smile, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "They inhaled a lot of smoke, but fortunately you managed to get them out before it was too late." He paused, sighing heavily. "They are going to be ok… because of you. I don't know how you did it, but you did great."

Marty's eyes shimmered with unshed tears, they stung but it didn't matter. He was happy because the two younger kids were safe.

"I always knew you were an unsung hero." A familiar voice told him.

"Kens… Kensi?" He asked a bit puzzled. The memories of the last hours, minutes, and seconds were just a blur in his mind. He remembered Kensi's face, he remembered hugging her, then darkness. "What… what happened?" His hand looked desperately for hers.

"It happened that the moment you got out of that burning house, you couldn't take your hands off me, but probably the emotion was too intense that you fainted." Kensi joked, hoping that he didn't see how worried she had been and still was. She almost died when he fainted in her arms, unable to breathe.

Deeks lifted his eyebrows, taking a long deep breath, when he felt a little lack of oxygen. He placed his free hand on his chest to fight the sudden wave of pain. "Kens…"

She sighed, aware that she was not able to lie to him. "You scared me to death, Deeks. Damn it… you fainted and I couldn't wake you up." Even though she tried, she couldn't hold the tears. Her eyes were not able to leave his figure. He was covered with dust and soot. A thick bandage covered his right forearm where the fight had eaten his flesh. Cuts and scrapes adorned every bit of his body that was not hidden under his clothes that showed burns here and there. The firemen had told her that he had been very brave to jump in the fire once he was out the first time, probably a bit reckless, but his actions had saved those two kids. He had been lucky, very lucky, because he truly risked to die in that burning house.

"I'm sorry…" He managed to say before a new fit hit him in full force. He had to sit up and hold his chest tightly because of the intense pain gripping it.

"Deeks!" Kensi cried out, attracting the attention of the paramedic.

"Excuse me, let me check on him…" He said, gently moving her aside. He managed to make the boy lie on his back, increasing the flux of oxygen a little bit more. "We need to take him to the hospital, he inhaled too much smoke, we need to see if his lungs have been damaged." He explained to Kensi who couldn't hide her deep concern.

"NO!" Marty cried out, grabbing the man's wrist.

"I'm sorry kid, but it's not negotiable. You were in that place too long, we have to be sure that you're truly fine."

"But I'm good… I… just need a… a moment…" The kid panted, closing his eyes to fight the pain in his chest.

"Deeks, please, let him do his job." Kensi pleaded, holding his hand.

Deeks shook his head stubbornly. "I… I can't Kens, please…"

"Marty!" A tiny voice approached, preventing her from replying. "Marty!" Bryanna repeated, running towards him and literally jumping on him.

"Hey, little Princess. How are you? Are you ok?" Marty asked worriedly, steadying his voice as much as he could for the little girl's sake.

The paramedic watched the entire scene and could only admire the boy for what he was doing. He was clearly in pain, exhausted, and probably at the end of his rope, but he was putting on a smiling face for the little girl.

"I'm fine… but… are you ok? You were talking to us when you fell to the ground…" Bry asked, unable to hide her concern.

"Hey, look at me… I'm more than good. They are just giving me a bit of good air because I breathed some bad smoke inside the house. But I'm good." Marty winked, ruffling her hair, allowing her to lose herself in his arms.

"You are my hero, Marty. You saved me and then you saved Timothy and Derek. Mister Andy over there said that they are going to be ok." Her tiny voice was muffled because she was literally buried into him. She was clearly causing him discomfort, but Deeks didn't say a single word.

"Bryanna, why don't you come with me and Eric? Marty, needs a little moment to be checked out." Nell said, taking her away from her friend, nodding at him with a worried face.

"Oh… yes…" The little girl was a bit disappointed for a moment, but her expression softened when the injured boy sent her a little kiss with his hand. "Ok, ok… see you later Marty."

Deeks sank into the pillow. The weight of what had just happened was taking a toll on him. He was exhausted, everything hurt, and he stung everywhere, but it was his lungs that were giving him nightmares because breathing was very hard.

"I still think you need to go to the hospital." The paramedic told him again.

"You should listen to him, Deeks." Callen intervened, approaching the gurney.

"You need to go to the hospital." Sam echoed, walking side by side with his friend.

"Later, maybe… just give a moment." Marty lied. He truly didn't want to go to the hospital, there was nothing that he hated more than hospitals. He had seen too many when he was a child. "What… what are you doing here? Not that I'm not happy, it's just that… well…"

Understanding what was behind Deeks' words and insecurity, Callen told him, "Do you really think that we could give up on you? We're friends…"

"And Kensi was getting ready to kill someone if we didn't find a way to bring you home." Sam smiled, a sincere, dimpled smile.

Marty felt a wave of good feelings engulfing him, it was the first time that someone, besides Ray, had truly showed him that he was important, that he belonged somewhere. "I… I don't know what to say…"

"So don't. Just allow the paramedics to take you to the hospital." Kensi decided it was a good moment to remind it to him.

"Kensi, you know that…" A new coughing fit caught him almost off guard and this time the pain was ten times worse. His lungs were burning and his whole chest seemed to be constricted in a tight vice.

"Breathe, Deeks, breathe." She placed a hand on his back and made soothing, slow circles, waiting for the fit to end.

"Well, what's happening here?"

Everyone turned to look at the source at the new voice.

"Who the hell are you and what are you doing around the boy?" Madalina asked, staring coldly at Kensi, Sam, and Callen.

"Who we are is none of your business." The brunette snapped angrily, barely containing her anger.

Deeks grabbed her hand tightly, like he wanted to stop her from going any further.

"Watch your tongue, girl! This boy is under my responsibility, so you better get lost before I get really mad." Mrs. Francis growled with her devilish voice. "And I need him to help us clean this mess. I am already two boy's short…"

"What? Are you serious? Two boys short?" Callen couldn't believe his ears. "Two kids, who were your responsibility, are at the hospital, and another two are going to join them soon and you are complaining about not having any help from them?"

"I don't give a damn about your moral, boy. My house has just burnt down and I need help to save what's left." The older woman said. She was using her bamboo cane as a walking stick, tapping with her fingers on it just to remind Deeks of what she could do with it. "I am not going to repeat it again, get lost!"

Kensi was going to reply when Marty stopped her, placing her hand on her shoulder. As he did the little gesture she had a clear view of his hand for the first time and cold chills ran down her spine. "Deeks…"

He locked his eyes on her, biting his lip. "It's ok, Kens…" He removed the oxygen mask and slid his legs down the gurney.

"What do you think you're doing, kid? You need to come with us!" The paramedic tried to stop him, but Marty ignored him, smiling bitterly.

"So, how long do you think it will take you?" Madalina wondered evilly.

"As long as it will take me, madam." Deeks muttered between ground teeth.

"Jeremy!" The woman called and immediately her son showed up, dragging a reluctant Bryanna with him.

"Marty! Marty, please! I don't want to stay here… please Marty!" The little girl screamed desperately, on the edge of crying.

"Let her go, I am coming with you, but let her go…" Marty almost begged the woman, standing on his unsteady legs.

"Deeks, no!" Sam watched the whole scene, horrified, realizing how much his friend was going to undergo to save the little girl, to protect her. His rage mounted even more, aware that Mrs. Francis was using Bryanna to make Deeks do whatever she wanted.

"Sam, please. It's… it's fine."

"Deeks, you can't let her do this. You are in no condition to do anything. You can barely stand." Kensi helped him on his feet, hoping he would change his mind.

"I… Kensi, I can't let her hurt Bry. She's… she's just a child. She doesn't deserve this…" Deeks had tears in his eyes as he talked. He didn't want to leave Kensi, but at the same time, he was aware that Bryanna needed him, now more than ever.

"We'll talk to the police, to the judge… we'll do everything we can to help you and Bryanna…" The brunette was holding his hand, unable to let him go.

"Kens…"

"Come on boy, or you know what's going to happen…" Jeremy shouted, bursting out laughing, his devilish and idiotic laugh Deeks hated so much. "Do I have to come and get you? Maybe I should keep your friend company… she looks so nice… I bet she's very entertaining."

The words echoed in Marty's ears and for a moment he saw red. His eyes narrowed and he started trembling. "What did you say? What the hell did you say?" He turned towards the younger Francis, pure fury filled his expression. "Don't you dare say another word! You have no right to say that!"

Jeremy was probably too stupid to understand that the boy was getting really angry, so he didn't shut up. "You little bastard! You know you have to show me some respect! Do you want me to hit on your little lovebird?"

This was the last and final straw; without any warning, Marty launched himself against the older boy, who was scared and let Bryanna go. In a blink of an eye, he found himself on the ground as Deeks started punching him over and over with uncontrollable rage.

"You son of a bitch. You and your damn family! It's your fault that Derek and Timothy almost died, that Bryanna almost died…" Marty couldn't stop hitting Jeremy, blinded by the anger. "…that I almost died. You're a sick bastard!"

The boy's reaction had been so unexpected that no one was able to do anything. Sadly, the first person who realized what was happening was Madalina, who moved towards the two struggling boys and slammed her cane on Deeks' back, once, twice… and again…

Marty was so focused on his task and pumped with adrenaline that he almost didn't register the blows.

"Let him go, you little punk! Stop hitting my son, you little son of a bitch!" The woman hit Deeks again and was ready to do it again, aiming at his head this time, when the sound of a gunshot resounded in the air.

Silence filled the whole area, no one dared to talk… then suddenly, someone screamed and hell broke loose.


	16. Chapter 16

As always, I can only thank you all for reading this story and supporting me. A big, big thanks to purecraziness for her patience and help.

* * *

Chapter 16

"Get away from him and stop hitting him or I swear to God, the next time, I won't miss!" A steady voice resounded loud and clear.

Everyone turned around to find Ray Martindale, who was holding a gun aimed at Madalina Francis.

"Who the hell are you to talk to me like that boy?" The woman snapped, with her small eyes that were sending daggers towards the newcomer.

"Not of your damn business! Just step away from Marty… NOW!" Ray yelled angrily while his finger dangerously danced on the trigger.

"This boy is under my responsibility and it's my responsibility to teach him to behave!" Madalina waved her cane in the air, one eye on the gun pointed at her and one eye on her son's struggling form. She saw the blond kid hit Jeremy again and she was ready to launch herself against him, to stop him.

Another shot echoed in the air. "I said stop, I'm losing my patience with you!"

Deeks was brought back to reality by the sudden sound and stopped, realizing what he had just did. He looked horrified at his bloodied hands and at the older boy lying unconscious under him. He lifted his head and his eyes locked on his friend's. They were empty… lost, he was lost, disgusted by what had just happened.

"You ok, little brother?" Ray asked, reading the shock in his best friend's expression.

"Are you insane? You are asking if he is ok when my son is over there, bleeding… maybe dying and you are worried about this little son of a bitch?" Mrs. Francis attempted to move, but another shot was fired and reached the ground next to her feet. "What the hell?"

Paramedics and police officers moved closely to the scene, but Martindale had eyes only for his friend. "Marty, answer me. How are you?"

Marty wanted to reply but words died in his throat, he was confused, and everything around him was fogged, blurred, like it was an old movie. He simply nodded, almost imperceptibly.

"Come on, boy, lower your weapon." A cop told Ray who didn't have any intention to listen.

"Ray, listen to the cop, lower your weapon." Sam spoke for the first time after he recovered from the shock. He was standing next to Callen who was supporting Kensi. The brunette wanted to rush to Deeks' side, but her friends had prevented her from doing it because the situation was still too dangerous.

"Listen to your friends, kid. It's not too late." Owen Granger intervened. He had driven the boy here so he felt a bit responsible for what was going on. He understood why Martindale was acting like this, he understood his desire to protect his friend, but this was wrong, completely wrong.

"Not too late? Are you kidding me? Look at Marty, look at what they did to him… look at what they made him do…" Tears rolled down Ray's cheeks and a tight knot formed in his stomach. He knew Marty, he knew him better than anyone else. He knew that he was not a violent person. Marty Deeks was one of the best people he had ever met and seeing him release so much anger against someone broke his heart, because he could only imagine what his little brother had gone through to cause such an uncharacteristic reaction. He could only imagine how much pain and abuse he probably suffered through to make him unleash this kind of desperate rage.

"I didn't do anything! That boy attacked my son without any reason. He is crazy! And sick… Come on, someone help my son, for God's sake!" Madalina yelled angrily. "Can't you see that he needs a doctor?"

"Shut up! You have to shut up!" Ray ordered her, his voice steady and cold as ice. He couldn't stand this woman who had hurt his little brother, he couldn't stand looking at her or listening to her. She disgusted him.

"Ray, please, allow the paramedics to check on the guy. If… if he dies, it will be on Marty, do you want him to pay such a high price?" Callen finally spoke, still holding Kensi who couldn't take her eyes away from Deeks' sitting and shaking form.

"Deeks…" she murmured, trying to wriggle from her friend's grip.

Callen's words seemed to breach into Martindale's shield and for the first time, his hand trembled and a hint of hesitation shadowed his blue eyes.

"G's right, Ray. Let the paramedics check on him and Deeks at least, then we can talk about the rest." Sam followed his friend's lead and tried to convince the smaller boy.

Ray turned his head to look at Sam and Callen and saw true concern written on their faces. After endless minutes, he finally nodded. "Ok." He simply murmured.

Immediately, a couple of paramedics moved towards the two kids on the ground and started checking on them.

Madalina attempted to get closer to her son, but Martindale dissuaded her.

"I wouldn't move a single step if I was you." He told her. Now the gun was once again steady in his hand as he aimed at her.

"You are just a little punk who pretends to be a big boy. You don't even know how to use that gun!" She said venomously, her small eyes narrowed in anger. "You are not going to stop me from checking on my son!"

"You better stay where you are madam," a police officer suggested to her, making her cringe.

"What?"

"Madam, I warmly advice you to not move." The officer insisted calmly.

And then Madalina saw it, saw the reason of the cop's statement. She saw Ray's eyes and the blinded determination written into them, the same determination of someone who didn't have anything to lose; the same determination that chilled her bones.

"He's in bad shape, but… he's going to be ok." A paramedic spoke while taking care of Jeremy. "Fortunately, the punches were not as strong as they could have been and didn't do irreparable damage."

Mrs. Francis released the breath she was holding hearing the news.

At the same time, Deeks started coughing, curling into a fetal position. The fit seemed the worst since he was taken out of the house.

"Deeks!" Kensi screamed and this time no one was able to stop her. She ran towards Deeks, uncaring of everything happening around her. "Deeks, come on, look at me." She repeated, kneeling next to him.

"Please give us some space." The paramedics told her, but Marty had instinctively grabbed her hand and was holding it tightly, like he wanted to take some strength from her. It wasn't enough though, because his body started convulsing. After a few, long seconds his eyes closed and he slipped out of consciousness.

One of the paramedics that was treating Jeremy got up and moved towards his coworkers to help them with the blond kid who seemed to be in far worse shape than the Francis boy.

"No! What the hell are you doing? You can't stop treating my son to take care of that little bastard. He doesn't deserve it!" Madalina turned on her heels and launched herself to her son.

Bang! A shot filled the air.

"Aarrgghh!" The woman cried out falling to the ground, hit in the shoulder by a gunshot. "You… you… son of a…" Before she could finish her sentence she passed out.

Ray was still standing with the fuming gun in his hand when a burning pain exploded in his back. The weapon slipped from his fingers, hitting the ground with a muffled sound. His legs failed him and he sank to his knees first and then on his back. It was like the time had slowed down and everything was happening in slow motion.

Ray's eyes blinked repeatedly as he was fighting the excruciating agony spreading through his whole body. His blue orbs stared blankly at the cerulean sky above him, where a lonely dove was flying gingerly, trouble-free, empty minded… happy. A faint smile crept through his lips before a stabbing pain took his breath away and everything was engulfed by the darkness. Then, it was just silence.

* * *

Kensi walked into the hospital room and sat next to the bed. Her hand immediately moved towards the familiar mop of blond hair and started stroking it gently.

Deeks was sleeping, finally peacefully. The last couple of days had been hectic. As soon as he arrived at the hospital his condition deteriorated drastically and the doctors had to intubate him to fight the effects of smoke inhalation. For the first few hours they feared that he was in worse shape than they expected, but slowly his breathing got better. His lungs had sustained a serious injury but, fortunately and with the appropriate therapy, it won't leave any traces in his system, no scars, if not for being a bit short breathed.

She was so engrossed in her gesture that she almost didn't notice a pair of ocean blue eyes had opened and were staring at her.

"Hey…" He whispered behind the oxygen mask still placed on his mouth and nose. His voice was hoarse and talking hurt his still too dry throat.

"Hey you." Kensi replied, giving him a big smile. "And good morning."

Deeks' bandaged hand looked for hers and their fingers entangled. "What time is it?"

"It's almost ten am. The nurse told me you slept sixteen hours straight… and she added that it's a good sign." She brought the hand holding hers to her mouth and allowed her lips to kiss it. She still cringed when the sight of his mangled palms appeared in front of her eyes, remembering what the horrible woman did to him. "How are you feeling today?"

Marty hesitated before answering the question, aware that he couldn't lie to her, that she could read him like a book. "Annoyed… bored… tired." He took a long breath, shifting in bed and then added, "Very tired."

Kensi got up and sat on the bed beside him. "Hey, it's normal that you feel like this. You heard the doc… Just give your body time to heal."

"And what happens next? After I… after I feel better?" His blue eyes watered and for a moment he had to take his stare away from her, too ashamed, too sad, too hurt.

"Don't do this, Deeks. Please, you don't have to think about this right now. Right now you only have to think about getting better. Nothing else."

Deeks cast a glance outside the window and swallowed hard, wincing when his throat protested. His free hand, the one that wasn't entangled with Kensi's, nervously clenched the sheets covering him. "How's Ray?" He finally asked, changing the subject. His voice was so feeble that it gave him a child-like appearance.

Kensi bowed her head, knowing what he was doing, aware that he was trying hard to follow her advice, even if it was almost impossible. "He's getting better. According to the nurse, he will be out of here in three days, four days maximum."

Marty sighed in relief. What happened at the Francis' place after he was taken out of the burning house by the firemen was still blurred, confused. He had just flashes, glimpses of events that he couldn't place in order, but a particular scene was clear in his head. The moment his best friend, the person who was more than a brother to him, fell to the ground hit by a bullet fired by a police officer. The stabbing pain Deeks had felt in his chest in that precise moment was still vivid, imprinted in his mind and body. Just thinking about it shortened his breath and caused him a wave of agony in his lungs. Fortunately, the bullet didn't hit any vital organs, just muscles and tissue, and for this reason Ray's recovery was not very long. "Lucky bastard…" He murmured, grinning bitterly.

"Deeks…" With a gentle gesture, Kensi took his chin in her fingers and forced him to look at her, straight in the eyes. "We will find a way, Deeks. I am sure about it. My mom has already talked to Evan and he is already working on your and Ray's case. We're not giving up on you two. You should do the same." She tried to sound reassuring, but it was not easy, not in this situation.

Both Marty and Ray had been charged for assault and attempted murder and both of them were probably going to spend some time in juvie. Fortunately, neither Madalina or her son died or things would have been much worse by now.

With Evan's help, they were trying to find mitigated circumstances that could justify their behavior and actions during that fatal day. The lawyer had told them that after what he went through, it might be easier to get a reduction of the final sentence for Deeks. Sadly, it was harder when it came to Ray.

"Kensi… I…" Marty started but immediately stopped what he wanted to say, because words died in his throat. It was too painful and this time it was not just a physical pain, but something that went deep into his soul.

Kensi sensed where he was going and didn't want to listen to him, to any of his reasons. "No, don't you even try, Deeks. NO!" She cried out while a hint of anger crossed her mismatched eyes and she jumped on her feet.

"You and I both know it would be better if we…"

"NO! I said stop and I'm not joking here!" She yelled, threateningly pointing her finger at him.

"Kens, stop yelling or the cop outside will think I'm doing something to you!"

"Stop Deeks, don't you even try to use humor in this occasion… not now!" Her eyes were filled with tears and the sight simply broke his heart, shattering it into a million of pieces. "Why are you doing this to me, Deeks? Why? I thought that… that you never… Why does everyone leave me?" She couldn't go on any longer, sobs prevented her from talking.

Her words were like a stabbing knife in his gut. "Kensi, I… I only want to protect you… us… our thing."

"A thing? So is there a thing now? I hope that… I hope that what we had was much more than a thing…" She protested, turning around so she didn't have to face him.

"Kens, look at me…" Marty literally begged her, taking off the mask from his face. "You know that what we have is the best thing that's ever happened to me, it's just… that…" He took a long deep breath before continuing, "It's just that, I don't deserve you. I… I am a bad person, it's in my blood… if you and I don't… I don't want to ruin your life…" He was starting to struggle with his words and breathing was getting harder and harder.

Alarmed by the sound of his rattling breath and by his increasing level of anxiety, she turned towards him and ran at his side. "Come on, Deeks, calm down, this is not doing you any good. Breathe, just breathe…"

He grabbed her hand, clenching it tightly, still struggling with his breathing. "I… I don't want to… hurt you… I am… dangerous… I am like… like him…" A coughing fit shook him from head to toe.

Kensi was angry because of his previous words, but after hearing his last statement, she couldn't stop herself from feeling sorry for him. She knew exactly to whom he was referring to and no matter what was going to happen, she knew that Deeks would never be like his father. "You are nothing like him, Deeks. You are a wonderful person… and the only way you might hurt me is by leaving me." She was making slow circles on his back, slowly soothing his pain, calming him.

Tears rolled down Marty's face as he buried it on her shoulder. "I don't deserve you…" he murmured as the fit finally left him alone. "I am not sure of what I am, Kens. I'm scared… I am so scared." The hundreds of emotions that he had tried to bury deep down inside of him during the last couple of years, during the last month in which he had to stay strong for the younger kids who counted and relied on him, emerged in full force, overwhelming him. It was like he was drowning and there was no way out.

"I know and I'm scared too, but not because of what you might do, mostly because of what they might do to you." Kensi cupped his face, wiping away the tears signing his irritated skin. "But we can make it… together. I will help you, the others will do as well. You are not alone anymore Deeks and you don't have to be alone to punish yourself."

Marty couldn't express with words how much what she had just said meant to him, so he did the first thing that passed through his mind and kissed her. It wasn't a passionate kiss, but one full of deep meaning, more important than a lot of words.

After few seconds though, he had to break away because the lack of oxygen hurt his lungs.

"I think we should postpone a kissing session until you feel better. I don't like to be interrupted every two seconds…" She told him, grinning cunningly.

He shook his head, chuckling. "What would I do without you?"

"I don't know, but I think you better get some rest now… I am very impatient to go back to that kissing thingy."

Deeks held her hand, gently playing with his thumb on its back. "Are you… are you going to stay with me?" He asked, sounding like a little child.

"Of course I will. I am the only person admitted to visit you and I want to justify my status, keeping you company."

His eyes darkened for a moment because her words reminded him of his precarious situation, but Kensi gently placed her hand on his cheek, caressing him.

"Sleep now. We still have time." She said as she saw him close his eyes. Two seconds later, he was snoring.

Kensi placed the oxygen mask on his face and brushed away a golden lock from his face. "Just sleep." She whispered as hot tears rolled down her cheeks and she placed a soft kiss on his forehead, lingering a little bit too long just to inhale his scent and feel the contact of his skin on her mouth… just to make herself believe that this was real, that he was real. No one had ever did anything like Deeks had done for her. No one had ever been ready to sacrifice himself for her. No one had ever made her feel alive like he did… and she loved feeling like this. She loved feeling important to someone, to feel whole. To feel loved.

* * *

The days went by and Deeks felt better, so much better that he was allowed to leave the hospital. Thanks to Evan's intervention and to Julia's kind offer, the judge decided that he could stay with the Blye women until his trial, giving him a chance to recover completely in a nice and loving environment.

They all knew that it was temporary, but for now it was the best they could hope for.

The lawyer had told them that in spite of all of his attempts, there was no way that Marty wouldn't serve some time in reformatory. What they couldn't predict was for how long.

And today was the day of Ray's trial. His situation was much worse than Deeks', first because he had illegally bought a gun, which was a clear sign of premeditation, and then, because he actually used that weapon to shoot an unarmed woman, who probably deserved worse than this, but it was obviously against the law.

The boy's situation was made even worse by the fact that he was close to turning eighteen, so he was going to spend some of his sentence in a regular prison.

In spite of his friend's protest, Marty showed up in court even if he was not allowed to make his statement. On the stand, Granger, Kensi, Sam, Callen, the paramedics and the police officers who were present on that fatal day, and Madalina Francis had been called.

Just seeing her, sent cold shivers down Deeks' back, giving him chills, and for a moment he felt the rage mounting inside of him. That woman had such a bad effect on him.

"You and your friend have a lot of courage to show up here like you're the victims!" She told him venomously, with her deep voice. "But you will have what you deserve boy. Everyone saw what you and your little punk over there did and there is no chance for you to get away from this unscathed. Smile and enjoy your pretty girlfriend while you can, because soon you will see her only through the cold bars of a cell!"

Kensi had to use a lot of her energy to stop herself and Deeks from hitting the evil woman. It would only make things worse for him and sincerely, at this point, they didn't need that, not at all. "Such a bitch!" She murmured when Madalina was out of sight. Her eyes moved to Marty who was standing still, clenching his fists and grinding his teeth to contain his rage. "Deeks… hey… calm down. There's no use in getting so mad. It's her game."

The boy looked at her with tears that matted his blue eyes. "How… how can she be so evil? What… what did I do wrong?" He asked, biting his lip.

"Hey, it's not your fault. Nothing that happened was your fault…" Kensi tried to reassure him, but Deeks simply walked to his seat and sat down, passing a nervous hand through his hair. She sighed heavily, closing her eyes, not liking a single bit of all of this.

The trial went on quickly, the facts were very clear and in spite of Evan's efforts, Ray was found guilty of all charges, sentenced with five years reduced to three because of his age and some extenuating circumstances. He had to serve the first year in the country reformatory and the following two in a minimal security prison.

As soon as the sentence was announced by the judge, Deeks walked towards his friend, his brother, the one person who had always had his back, who never failed him, the one person who supported him during his hardest times. Tears watered his eyes and his vision blurred, but he didn't stop until he was just a few inches from Ray. The security tried to halt him, but Evan gave them a nod, allowing him to come closer.

"Hey little brother..."

"Hey Ray." Marty said, fighting the tight knot clenching his throat by hugging his best friend.

"It's ok, Marty. It's going to be ok." Ray whispered. He was trying to appear strong, but deep inside he was terrified.

"No, it's not going to be ok... this is so wrong, completely wrong! You shouldn't have to do this, not for me. You ruined your life for me. I'm not worthy, I'm just not worthy..." Deeks was like a river in flood, unable to stop crying.

"Don't you dare think that, you idiot!" The older boy broke the embrace, forcing his friend to look at him, his voice steady as ever. "Look at me, brother. You are more than worthy. I would have done everything to save you some further pain. You deserve a life, a real life, not that shit that woman was giving you. You are just too good, Marty, and you have to remember that you can do whatever you want with your life, with your future."

"But... I... I'm not..."

"Marty, you have to promise me something."

Deeks stared at him, almost in disbelief. He simply nodded, even if he was not very convinced.

Ray cupped Marty's face with brotherly affection. His voice softened as their eyes locked. "You have to promise me that once you're out of juvie, you have to start walking the line. No more getting into trouble, no more idiocy... nothing, ok? You are smart, Marty, smarter than you give yourself credit for, don't throw your chances to have a good life because of your rage or because of that son of a bitch of a father you had. You are not him, Marty, and you will never be like him, no matter what people tell you. You are much better than him and I am sure you will succeed in life."

"Ray, I..."

"Promise me Marty. Promise me you will do it!"

Marty sighed heavily, knowing that he didn't want to disappoint his friend, not now. "Ok."

A big smile curled Ray's lips as he lightly slapped his friend. "Good boy, very good boy."

"We have to go now." The security guard said.

"A moment... just one moment..." Martindale said, turning back to Deeks as he was pushed away. "Marty, I want to hear how your thing turns out with Wikipedia, ok? You owe me that!"

In spite of the deep sadness engulfing his heart, Marty smiled, shaking his head, deciding to play along. "There is no thing."

"Nice try, little brother... nice try" And with that, Ray disappeared from his view, stepping through the door that lead him to the next three years of his life.

Deeks felt someone holding his hand as a gentle voice asked him. "How are you feeling?" Kensi whispered, hoping that he could turn to look at her instead of fixing the closed door Ray had just stepped through.

"He… he was so scared. I've never see him like that." Marty's voice was almost inaudible, so feeble, but at the same time filled with sorrow.

A tight knot contorted her stomach; she hated seeing him in this state, she hated seeing him suffer, she hated not being able to help him, to comfort him as much as she wanted. "Deeks…"

He moved his stare and let it land on her. His blue eyes were filled with unshed tears and he was nervously biting his lower lip. "I… I'm scared too, Kens. What happens next?"

Her heart broke at his insecurity; she missed the mischievous and joyous sparkle in those ocean blue eyes she loved so much and it pained her seeing him like this… so broken, so lost. Kensi did the only thing she could think about it; she engulfed him in a tight embrace, allowing his head to be buried in her shoulder… in her hair. "I don't know, Deeks. Sincerely, I don't have any idea, but I know that you are not alone and you won't be alone anymore. I am here and I will always be here for you and with you."

"Kensi's right," Sam intervened, realizing that this was the right moment, to show the blond boy all the support he needed. "You are not alone. We are all here for you."

Marty broke the hug with Kensi, only to find himself protectively surrounded by his friends. "Thank you." He whispered, swallowing hard, looking at all of them one by one. He didn't know what the future had in store for him, but for the first time in a long time, he knew that he was not alone, that he had people who cared for him and that he could rely on. And even if he was terrified, he knew that he would make it, that they would make it all together. He cast one last glance at all of his friends, lifting his head proudly and with a steadier voice he repeated, "Thank you."


	17. Chapter 17

And the new chapter is up.

As always I can only thank you all for reading this story and a big thanks to purecraziness for her help.

* * *

Chapter 17

The following ten days were probably the best period Marty Deeks had lived in ages. In spite of the worry for the upcoming trial, he managed to recover from his injuries under the continuous care of Kensi and Julia, surrounded by his friends. For the first time in his whole life, he found out the true meaning of the word happiness, something that, sadly, he never experienced fully.

One night, after dinner, Kensi was taking a shower and Marty was sitting in a recliner on the porch. His eyes were closed but he was not sleeping, just thinking.

"Such a beautiful night." Julia told him, approaching him and sitting in the chair next to him.

"Yes." He simply said, without moving a single muscle. Silence fell for a moment between them, until he sighed deeply, pushing himself into a sitting position. "I am just trying to remember every detail in my memory, every single emotion, every single moment I spent here." He murmured, staring at his hands, nervously playing. His blue eyes met Julia's, with such an intensity that the woman shivered. "I never had a real family and this is my very first taste… I… I can only thank you for giving me this chance."

Mrs. Blye got up and sat next to him, gently holding his hand in hers. "You don't have to thank me, Marty. You deserve this… I wish this could last forever." With motherly affection, she caressed his face, tickling the light stubble that adorned the teenager's face. "You are such a nice kid, who doesn't deserve what's happening to you. And no matter what those people are going to say during the trial, nothing will make me change my opinion of you. I am a good judge of character and I know that you have made mistakes. Who doesn't? But you have such a big heart. I heard what you did for those kids in that house and I heard how much you risked saving them. You didn't care about your own life, only about theirs. This is something no one teaches you. It's something you have… that you have in here." She placed a hand on his heart, feeling his accelerated heartbeat. "When my husband died, Kensi… well, it was like she stopped living as well. She built high walls around her heart, around her soul, preventing anyone from getting closer, me included. She stopped smiling, having fun. She always had this sad expression, this darkness, lingering on her. I thought I had lost her forever. Then one day, something finally changed. The darkness slowly disappeared and she started smiling again, enjoying her life, living again. And when I saw you, I understood. When I saw your smile I knew that you were perfect to her. You were her light… You saved her Marty and there are no words to express how much I owe you for saving my daughter."

Marty had never felt anything like this; it was like his heart, his whole body, was engulfed by a warm feeling that gave him comfort. No one ever talked to him like this woman was doing right now, no one, at least no other adult, had ever talked to him like he was a real person, not just a troubled kid. Tears rolled down his cheeks, but for the first in his whole life, they were happy tears. He wanted to reply, to tell Julia how much what she just said meant to him, but words died in his throat. "I… I…"

"I want you to know that, whatever happens after the trial, you will always have a place, here in my house and that we will do everything we can, everything in our power to take you with us." Once again, she gently brushed his hair, caressing his cheek, wiping away his tears. "Don't listen to what those people say about you, ignore them. They will try to tell you that you are wrong, that you are a just a street punk, but you're not. You did what you did, because they forced you to react that way. Violence is always wrong and I understand if they punish you for this, but you're a good kid who went through too much in your life. No one should have to suffer like you did. A kid shouldn't be afraid of his father or be abandoned by his own mother. Never underestimate yourself, Marty." A lonely tear escaped from her eyes. "I heard when you told Kensi that you are not worthy, that you are a pathetic and weak whiny baby… I don't want to hear any of this nonsense anymore, because I dare anyone to live through what you did and be as strong as you are. I've never met anyone who can have a kind smile for everyone even after what you went through… You have a real gift Marty. You are special…"

This was too much and Deeks started sobbing. Julia guided him into her embrace and tried to hold him tightly, making him feel protected as no one ever made him feel in his whole life.

"Thank you." He murmured with a voice broken by the emotion and by the tension that was gripping his soul. "Thank… you…" He repeated as the kind woman made soothing circles on his back with one hand while the other caressed his head like she wanted to protect him, shielding him from the evilness of the world.

Kensi chose that moment to walk onto the porch and saw the entire scene. Her own heart skipped a beat and shattered into pieces. How did it happen that someone became so important to her that seeing him like this affected her so much? Her first instinct was to go to Deeks and hug him herself, but she realized that he needed this moment, that he needed an adult figure to comfort him when adults had always mistreated him, used him, made him suffer.

The girl stood, leaning against the doorframe, hugging herself, trying to control her emotions and holding the tears that were trying to find their way out. She waited until she saw him compose himself and dry his face with his sleeve, then, as soon as she was sure that he had recovered from his breakdown, she stepped through the door. "Oh I needed that shower… I feel like a new person now."

Julia smiled, realizing from her daughter's expression that she had witnessed everything that had happened between her and Marty. She nodded, amazed by Kensi's perceptiveness and sensitivity in not wanting to embarrass her friend. "Oh, here you are."

"I thought you vanished under the hot water, Kensalina." Deeks told her, unaware of the understanding glances between the two women, as he straightened him up in the recliner.

"Hey, not fair Shaggy. I was not gone for too long." The girl replied, taking a seat next to him, nonchalantly holding his hand.

Marty looked at her a bit puzzled by her behavior, but didn't retreat. "You smell good, Kens."

Julia saw her daughter blush and so she took the chance to leave them alone. "And I think this is my cue to leave… I have an open mind, but I prefer not to know some details."

Deeks scratched the back of his head, feeling a bit embarrassed; once again he didn't have any filter between his brain and his mouth. He was watching the woman leave with the corner of his eyes when he called her, "Mrs. Blye?"

"Yes…"

"Thank you. Thank you very much." His blue eyes sparkled as he talked, opening the access of his soul, pouring his heart in those few words.

Julia could only smile, but her own eyes watered a little, realizing the deep meaning behind what the boy had just said. "You're welcome." She told him with a whisper, before turning on her heels and walking back inside.

"So…" Kensi started, unsure of what she might say to him. She knew he had just shared a very intense moment with her mother, something that had probably touched him deeper than he wanted to let on. She didn't want to make a joke because it might sound inappropriate but at the same time, she didn't want him to dwell on something that could cause him some distress. There was nothing that she wanted more than to take all of his worry, all of his pain away.

For a moment, Deeks seemed lost in his thoughts, but then he surprised her, talking with such a calm voice that almost sent shivers down her spine. "I… I am terrified Kens, like I haven't been in a long, long time. When my father beat me, I was scared, because I knew that I couldn't do anything to stop him, no matter what I did. I thought I deserved it, that I'd been a bad boy, so he had all the reason to punish me. This time, I am simply terrified, because I probably deserve what I'm going to get. I shouldn't have hit Jeremy. I shouldn't have lost it like I did. But you know why I am so terrified? Why am I so scared? It's you, Kens… because I know you're going to suffer because of me and you don't deserve that. When you became my friend, you didn't sign up for this shit. It breaks my heart, Kensi, and the fact that I can't do anything to prevent it scares me like I've never been before."

Silence fell in the air, broken only by Kensi's sniffs. She had never felt like this. After her father's death, no one had ever put her life and her well-being in front everything else and she couldn't believe that he was truly doing it, right now, when his life was going to change drastically. "Deeks, you don't have to… I'll be fine. You have to think about yourself for once. Stop doing this to yourself. You're important, as much as anyone else in this freaking world."

"Not as important as you," he simply said as his eyes locked on hers, going deep into her soul.

She was speechless, because of his intensity. Sometimes she couldn't believe that he was just 15, just like she was. He was so mature, probably because he had been forced to grow up too quickly, that it almost shocked her.

"I don't want you to suffer… and I don't want you to suffer because of me." He continued using the mellow voice that always melted Kensi's heart, the tone he usually reserved only for her.

"And I won't… well, not because of you at least." She told him, looking for his hand.

Deeks fell silent, closing his eyes, his mind wandering. "I… I don't know how I'll react when I will see them again." His blue orbs opened and he stared horrified at his hands that still carried the scars of the beating Madalina gave him with the freaking bamboo cane, the same hands that had repeatedly hit Jeremy. "I am afraid that I could snap again, that I could…"

Kensi stopped him, cupping his face. "I won't let you do that. I won't allow you to lose yourself in that anger." She felt his body relax under her touch. "I will be there, Deeks. Whenever you feel like you're losing it, think about something nice, think about something that relaxes you, think about something that doesn't make you think."

A cunning grin curled Marty's lips and his eyes brightened up, as only his could do, lightening up his whole expression. "Then I will think about you." He simply said, making her blush and bow her head. "I wouldn't have made it without you. When she put me in that dark pit, all I could think about was you. I just kept thinking about your smile… and your laugh… everything. It's the only thing that got me through. When I was in that fire, trying to get out, all I could think about was how I wanted to see you again… just one more time."

Tears were flowing freely down her face as she was listening to him. She couldn't hold on anymore so she guided him into her embrace, happy when he hugged her back, engulfing her in his arms while his warm breath caressed her hair. They remained like that for a few, endless moments until she sneaked out of the embrace, ready to kiss him, but a fake cough interrupted them.

"I am sorry, I… I didn't mean to… well, I…" Julia realized that this was not the best moment, but the envelope she was holding in her hands seemed like it was burning. "A pony express just delivered this." She handed it to Marty who immediately understood what it was about.

He stood and picked up the envelope, opening it with trembling fingers. His eyes quickly read it and as soon as he did, his head bowed.

"Deeks, what's up?" Kensi asked, approaching him and putting a hand on his back.

"It's… it's about the trial." He murmured, unable to look at her, feeling too guilty. "It's going to start in a week." He finally lifted his head and without adding anything else, he walked inside.

Julia stopped her daughter from running after him, aware that he might need a moment by himself. She hugged Kensi, comforting her, both of them unaware of the hot tears that were burning Marty's face and the pain that was shattering his heart.

* * *

Deeks was sitting in his chair, nervously playing with his hands. He didn't have the strength to lift his head and look at his friends. He felt guilty and like a complete idiot. There was no one he could blame more than he blamed himself. If only he didn't allow his anger, his burning rage to prevail, he wouldn't be in this situation and mostly the people he cared for and that he hoped that cared for him, wouldn't be in this situation.

Evan put a hand on his shoulder. "We're about to start, Marty." He said trying to reassure the kid, but he didn't accomplish his goal.

Marty stood up, looking even taller and more slender in the clothes Julia had bought for him; a pair of black jeans, a white shirt, and a grey jacket that made his blond hair and blue eyes stand out. He started walking nervously, unable to stand still. He didn't remember being so nervous.

"Well, well, well, you cleaned up pretty nice, boy!" Madalina Francis said venomously, appearing in front of him out of nowhere. Her arm was still in a sling, even if there was no need for it anymore. It was completely healed, but she was using it as a tactic to move the judge, pretending she was still suffering for the gunshot wound.

At her side stood Jeremy and he was the one still carrying the effects of Deeks' attack. His face was a mix of bruises, some more faded than others, some darker than others. His eyes were cold as ice and were staring at the kid, throwing daggers at him. "You will pay for this, you little bastard."

Marty stood still, clenching his fists tightly, causing his nails to dig into his palms and his knuckles to whiten. He took long breaths, remembering what he told Kensi, that she was his safe and calming place. Images of her slid in front of him and his body started to relax a little.

"What? Did you lose your tongue, boy? You never showed this kind of respect when you were at my house." Madalina said maliciously, moving a step closer to the kid. "You can't fool them with your angelic appearance. You are a devil and everyone in there will see it as soon as I tell my story. Your buddy is already rotting in jail and soon you will join him!"

"Tremble with fear, boy, because you will pay for what you did to me." The younger Francis murmured, passing by Deeks and bumping his shoulder with his, using unnecessary strength.

As soon as they disappeared from his view, Marty turned towards the wall and punched it violently. He didn't even register the pain, he just stared at his shaking hand, at the fading scars on his palm and the memories of that horrible place came back to him in full force. The decadent house, the dark pit, the bamboo cane, and the fire… every single smell, every single sound that reminded him of the Francis' house contorted his stomach and made him sick. Bile rose through his throat as he tried hard not to retch dry heaves. His breathing became uneven and he started to hyperventilate until he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Deeks… Deeks, hey, look at me…" The voice sounded distant at first but became clearer and clearer as air started pumping in his lungs.

"Callen? What… I… I am sorry… I was just…" Marty was confused but mostly embarrassed in front of his friend.

"Hey, it's ok. Sam and I heard what they told you… that woman is… is such a bitch!"

A small smile escaped from Deeks' lips and his whole body released all of its tension. "Thank you, guys." He spoke, inhaling deeply as another strong hand was placed behind his neck in Sam Hanna's typical brotherly way.

"No need to thank us, Deeks. Trust me, I would have punched that woman and her idiotic son if we weren't in court!" The big boy added without moving his eyes away from his friend. It was weird. He hated this blond guy at first, hated him just because of things he heard about him, hated him because of what people said about him, but now… now it was a completely different story. Sam and Marty will probably never be the best of friends, mostly because they were simply too different, but he had an enormous amount of respect for the younger kid, and that had only grown exponentially after he found out what happened during the fire at the Francis'.

"Oh well, he wasn't such a sport, trust me." Deeks stated bitterly. He had tried to use his usual dose of humor, but he had failed. His hand went through his hair nervously and his voice softened. "Guys, can I ask you a big favor?"

"You know you can ask anything." Callen answered as quick as he could, realizing that his friend was going to ask them something very important.

"When… when I… when I'm not here, would you mind taking care of Kensi? She will tell you that she's fine, but it will be a lie. She's never fine when she says she's fine."

Sam tilted his head to one side, surprised by the boy's perceptiveness and selflessness once again. Even in a rough moment for him, he was thinking about Kensi and her well-being. "Deeks… don't do this right now."

"Sam, I'm not a fool. I already have a record and what I did… well, Jeremy deserved what he got and I would do it again probably, but… it's against the law and I'm going to pay for this. It's hard to leave a family, friends when I had them for the first time in my life, but Kensi… she… she doesn't…" Marty's voice broke and he couldn't go on.

"You can count on us, Deeks." Callen told him firmly, offering his hand to shake, to seal the deal.

It was like someone had removed a heavy weight from his shoulders. Deeks felt relieved from knowing that someone would look after Kensi while he was gone, while he was not there for her. And Callen and Sam were the people he trusted the most with this important matter. "Thanks, it… it means a lot to me."

"Marty, we need to go inside." Evan came out of the courtroom, pushing him inside.

"Goodbye guys… see you soon." Marty told them, nodding and smiling sincerely.

"Hell!" The big boy cursed, kicking a chair. "This is not fair!"

Inside the courtroom the trial started, a lot of words were said and a lot of facts were exposed. Jeremy's deposition was beyond the bounds of decency, moving to pure embarrassment. He started weeping like a baby, making things worse than they actually had been during that infamous day, building up things so everyone was forced to believe that Deeks was a crazy kid, with his pure instinct being to use violence.

Madalina's deposition just piled it on and with the help of her and her son's lawyer, they brought up all the darkest moments of Marty's life, starting from the day he shot his father. Their intent was clear; they wanted to show him as a kid with violence and anger issues, moving the attention away from what they did to him and how they treated him and the other kids at their house.

After a little break, it was time to listen to the witnesses Evan had called for and the first was Bryanna. The little girl looked so small on the stand, but her expression was fierce and determined. Her deposition was probably the most emotional one and almost everyone in the courtroom had tears in their eyes. When she was finished, Deeks cast her a grateful glance and breaking every protocol, he rushed towards her and hugged her tightly, allowing her to cry on his chest.

"It's ok, Bry, you did great…" He told her to offer some comfort, hoping to take away all of her sorrow and pain that the memories she had been forced to remember brought to her.

"I love you, Marty," she whispered to him before she was taken away by her new foster parents, two kind people Deeks had met a few days ago. "I love you so much… you kept your promise Marty and I will never forget it."

Tears rolled down his cheeks as he looked at her being lifted in the arms of the man who promised to take care of her, feeling happy for the little girl that had stolen a piece of his heart. "I love you too, Little Princess…"

Once again, the judge ordered a break and then it was time for other witnesses, for Timothy and Derek, for the paramedics and the police officers, and then it was time for Marty himself to walk to the stand. He knew what was going to happen, how Jeremy's lawyer was once again going to expose his whole life in front of everyone. As soon as he was asked the first question, the boy felt completely naked, like all of his dignity was taken away. More than once he had to stop talking, swallowing hard, asking for a glass of water, to not cry and show his weakness. He could feel Madalina's evil eyes on him, sensing her pleasure in seeing him in such discomfort, seeing him struggle with his emotions. The smile that curled her lips at the end of her lawyer's questioning was triumphant, almost devilish. She seemed extremely pleasant from destroying him again, from taking away the bit of confidence the last few weeks spent in a nice house with kind people around had given him.

Evan's cross-questioning couldn't help him too much, but he managed to instill some doubts in the judge's mind, bringing up some evidence of the abuse Marty had been subjected while he had lived with the Francis family.

Now it was time to let the judge decide.

Two hours later, everyone was called back inside the courtroom. Deeks stood on his feet, as fierce as he managed to be, in spite of the turmoil of emotions going on inside of him. He couldn't stop nervously running his tongue across his lips and he had a sudden urge to scratch the back of his head, but he resisted it as he waited impatiently to know about his future.

"At first, this case might have sounded very easy, because the evidence against the defendant are absolutely clear." The judge started, talking with a deep and serious voice. "But I have to say that it was more complicated than I expected and it took a lot of thinking. Some events that have been brought to my attention needed a further examination and probably changed my perspective on the case. With that being said, I can't leave a violent act unpunished."

Marty suddenly felt like someone had punched him in the gut. For a moment, he had hoped that the judge would clear him, but the last words destroyed his hopes. Once again, he forced himself to think about Kensi, going to his safe place, to control his emotions.

"The defendant Martin A. Deeks has been found guilty of assault and sentenced to custody of the California Juvenile Department of Corrections for eighteen months. Said time is reduced to fourteen months due to proven extenuating circumstances. I consider the accusation of attempted murder not sustainable and the defendant is cleared of it."

The reaction of the audience was mixed. Deeks' friends were happy that he was cleared from the accusation of attempted murder because the sentence could have been much worse, but obviously didn't agree with the fact that he was going to serve some time for assault.

On the other hand, the Francis' were extremely satisfied that the kid had received what he deserved, but at the same time they had hoped for something more.

The judge silenced the crowd and then started to talk again. "I haven't finished though. After the whole trial and after looking at all of the evidence that transpired from it about what happened at the Francis' residence, I decided to open an official investigation about the fire and about the behavior of Jarod, Madalina, and Jeremy Francis, pressing charges against them for reiterated child abuse, negligence, failure in duty of care, and attempted murder."

Color was drained from Madalina's face but she found the strength to yell at the judge. "You… how dare you? We always did our job, we treated those little punks well, giving them food and a roof over their heads, and this is how you thank us? How can you be so blind to fall for that little bastard's trick?" Her lawyer tried to calm her but in vain. "That little bastard over there almost got my son killed and you didn't even sentence him for it, you're crazy… you're just a…"

Before she could go on a laugh resounded in the room, silencing everyone. "Please go on, show your true essence… Madam." Deeks spoke coldly, without even looking at her. "You are just proving him right. Soon people will know what you did, how many kids you terrified and scared to death. Soon people will find out what kind of person you are and trust me, I don't mind spending fourteen months in jail knowing that you and your family will get what you deserve… Madam." The last word was spat with venom, but also with extreme pleasure.

"Son of a bitch!" Madalina lost it completely and had to be stopped because she wanted to launch herself against the kid. She was dragged away by the guards, along with her son, who was so in shock that was barely able to stand.

Once the room was quiet enough, the judge talked again. "Court is dismissed." He cast a glance at Deeks, like he was feeling bad for him, then surprisingly, he added, "I'm sorry kid…" before walking out of the room.

Kensi couldn't wait any longer. She rushed towards Deeks, uncaring of the guards trying to stop her. "Deeks!" She shouted with tears in her eyes. "Deeks!" She was finally in front of him.

Marty opened his arms to welcome her in his embrace. "It's ok, Kens, it's going to be ok." He was forcing himself to be strong, for her at least. He couldn't allow himself to show his true emotions, the fear that was gripping his heart, for Kensi's sake.

"No, it's not ok. None of this shit is ok! It's not right. You shouldn't go to jail!" She was clenching at his jacket, wrinkling it and wetting it with her unstoppable tears. She didn't mind showing her weakness, not now, not in this moment.

"Hey, look at me." He lifted her chin to look at her eyes. "Fourteen months will pass quicker than you can imagine. I will be out soon and we will have all the time we want."

"No, no, no… you're such a bad liar, Deeks. Damn it!" She punched his chest stubbornly, not wanting to accept the sad reality. "This is not fair! It wasn't your fault… you…"

"Kens, you and I both know that what I did is not excusable. I was stupid and it's right for me to pay, but look at the bright side, at least this trial was useful. They are going to pay not only for what happened to me, Bry, Tim, and Derek, but even for what they did to other kids before us." He paused, barely holding the tears as soon as his eyes landed on her watery ones. "This whole situation was worth it. I might end up in juvie, but they won't hurt anyone anymore. I… I call it a victory."

She couldn't object to this, but she couldn't fight the hole in her heart, the deep pain she was feeling right now. "But you… you don't deserve this, Deeks. Why do you have to pay such a high price?"

"I have to pay the price for my own stupidity, but… it's you that shouldn't feel like this." His voice cracked and before he could start crying, he kissed her on her lips for what it looked like an eternity. When they finally broke apart, he cupped her face. "Give me a smile so I can take it with me…" Deeks knew that he probably sounded a bit melodramatic and pathetic, he was not going to disappear forever, but Kensi was the best thing that had ever happened to him and saying goodbye to her, knowing that he was going to make her suffer, was the hardest part.

Tentatively, she gave him a timid smile.

"That's my girl…" He whispered as the guard took him away. "Smile, Kensi, smile for me. Please…"

She watched him, locking her eyes on his, smiling as he asked her to do. "I… will come to visit you. As often as I can… you won't get rid of me that easily." She shouted at him, seeing him grin.

"I was counting on that." Marty gave her one of his infamous grins and then disappeared from her view.

Suddenly, it was like darkness fell over her. Kensi felt empty, because someone has stolen her light… a piece of her heart, a very important part of her life.


	18. Chapter 18

I might sound like a broken record, but thank you all for reading and a big Thank you to purecraziness for her help and for keeping up with me.

* * *

Chapter 18

During the first two months Kensi managed to visit Deeks once a week, always accompanied by her mother who obviously tried to give the two kids some quiet time alone so they could catch up and just enjoy each other company.

Marty was doing relatively well, the place was not one of the worst fortunately, but both mother and daughter noted how he tended to smile less than before and was even more introverted than usual. It seemed like in two months he turned into a different person… it seemed like in two months he turned into a man. He was not the carefree kid he had always appeared to be, but a serious young man whose heart was slowing hardening.

"Are you sure you're ok?" Kensi asked him one day, unable to hide her concern anymore.

"Yes, I'm good Kens." Deeks flashed one of his infamous smiles, something that she missed more than she ever realized. There was something in that goofy grin of his that always melted her heart, lightening up even the darkest place. At least this was something that hadn't changed, she thought, a bit relieved.

"Why do I have the feeling that you are not telling me the entire truth? If there's something wrong, you know you can tell me…" She looked for his hand and was shocked to find it so cold when usually his hands were warm and caring.

"Kens, I'm not exactly on vacation! This place might be nice and not one of the worst I've been in, but it's still a prison… and…" He started trembling and his whole body tensed. "It's like I am not even the master of myself, forced to live in a small room, without a view, following…"

She could sense his struggle and knowing him, she was aware that these were not the real reasons of his discomfort, that there was something deeper that was slowly eating him alive. She tightened the grip on his hand, hoping that she could make him feel better, but he retreated from her touch, like he was scared, afraid of something. "Deeks, please, tell me what's going on with you. If you don't tell me, I won't be able to help you…"

Marty got up, passing his fingers through his fast-growing hair that he hadn't cut since he had been taken in. "This… this place is changing me, Kensi, and it's… it's scary. The other day one of the older kids wanted to steal part of my lunch and I… I only wanted to punch him, to hit him. There's so much anger inside of me and… I don't know how long I will be able to control it." He took a long deep breath, hoping to calm himself, but it was hard. "It's… consuming. I… I don't want to be like him, Kens, I can't… I simply can't… I don't want to hurt you… I…"

Kensi got up and moved closer to him, guiding him into her embrace. She never felt anyone trembling like he was in this moment. He was so tense, a bundle of nerves, and even his expression was different. He had completely lost the laid back attitude she was used to seeing in him and this broke her heart. She couldn't see him like this, because he wasn't like this. This was not her Deeks, the guy who could always make her smile, the guy who could always make her feel better with just one stupid joke. "Do you remember what we talked about that day at my house? When we were discussing the things that make you feel better, that don't make you think… it's time to do it again. It's time to go to your safe place, you know you can find some peace there." She cupped his face as her fingers brushed his hollow cheeks, realizing how much weight he had lost. "And you have to take care of yourself… I didn't sign for a scrawny boyfriend." She gave him a kind smile glad, which he returned, enjoying her lame joke.

"I probably just miss my dose of donuts…" Marty locked his eyes on hers, losing himself in her mismatched orbs. "And I will gladly lose myself in my safe place."

His gaze was so intense that for a moment she shivered while cold chills ran down her spine and butterflies flew in her stomach. "I miss… you…" She whispered, unable to move, to look away and be more than a few inches away from him. Once again, she couldn't believe how it was possible to feel something similar for someone, even at her young age. She had always thought that some of her friends were such drama queens for speaking of their love interests, feeling like their boyfriends were simply the love of their lives. She never thought that that sensation could become true, even for her. Since day one, she had known that Deeks was not a regular guy, that there was something in his eyes that immediately caught her attention. Those eyes could tell hundreds of words, hundreds of stories. Those eyes could read her like an open book. She had never felt so naked in front of anyone and she would have been scared if it was anyone other than Deeks, because he never judged her, he never took her for granted. Maybe this was love… this was a love story. But was it possible to find your true love, your soulmate, even at their young age? If she just looked in front of her eyes, the answer would be a big 'yes'.

Marty's eyes watered for a moment, but he bowed his head, not wanting to appear too emotional. His voice betrayed him because it cracked as he softly replied, "I miss you too."

Kensi could read the sorrow, the sadness, in his expression and she only wanted to take them away. "Two months have gone by… it's better than it was two months ago."

He curled his lips into a bitter smile. "Kens, listen, I… I don't know if I… if I…"

The brunette silenced him, placing her finger on his lips. "Ssshhh, no. I don't want to hear any of those things that are wandering through your mind. I want you to think positive. You told me that, remember? You told me that fourteen months will pass quickly and then we will have all the time we want."

"What did I do to deserve you, Kensi Marie Blye?" He caressed her face, gently brushing her long curls while he talked, his gaze never leaving hers.

"It's the same for me, Deeks, we probably deserve each other…" She paused, smirking cunningly. "Or we are simply made for each other."

A dark shadow matted his eyes and for a moment, he had to move away from her, shaking.

"Deeks…" Kensi extended her arm, reaching for him, sensing the inner battle going on inside of him. "You will never hurt me."

"And how do you know that? What do you know about me?" Marty's voice rose a little, surprising even himself. "I… I hate what I am becoming, what this place is turning me into. I am dangerous, when will you realize it?"

Uncaring of his reaction, she walked closer to him and simply placed her hand over his heart. "Listen to your heart… what is it telling you?"

This time tears flowed and rolled down his cheeks copiously, before he grabbed her and dragged her into his embrace, with passion, with desire, craving for her closeness. "I'm sorry, I am so sorry…" He buried his face in her hair, inhaling her scent, allowing it to pervade his nostrils and filling them.

"It's ok… you don't have to be sorry. It's ok…" They stood still like this, in the middle of the room, and then they took place at the table, sitting in front of each other, holding hands. Kensi told her story about school, about the guys and he simply listened, smiling at the mention of his friends, of the life that was waiting for him outside.

In that moment, Marty realized that this was something he could fight for. He had to win this battle against this darkness lingering over him. He had good reasons to do it… and the main one was sitting in front of him. Kensi was his safe place, his balance, the only thing that could keep him sane when his anger was trying to find its way out. When the desperation was ready to engulf him, he had to think about her, of her smile, of her gentle eyes. The sound of her voice could take him out of the pit his soul found refuge in. "Thank you." He murmured out of nowhere.

"What? What are you thanking me for while I am talking about Eric's polar bear PJ's?" She wondered.

"Thank you for being you, for giving me strength and hope. You saved my life when I was at the Francis' house and you're doing it again. I will owe you for the rest of my life…"

Kensi had never heard him so serious, but at the same time so honest and sincere. She could feel that his words came from his heart. "You don't owe me anything, Deeks. I'm just pleased I can help you. You're important to me, remember this and never forget it. Ok?"

His answer was silent, but meaningful. He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it tenderly, in a way she had never been kissed.

The simple touch of his soft lips on her skin made her shiver, sending an electrical discharge through her whole body. There was something magnetic between them, something special that happened just once in a life.

Deeks was restraining himself, aware that if he let his instinct take control of his actions, he wouldn't be able to stop. This girl was the best gift he had ever received. This girl cared for him in spite of all of his issues, in spite of all of his fails and mistakes… and he loved her. He felt a bit like a fool, thinking about love, right now, right here. He was fifteen for God's sake, forced to be in juvie for another year. He wanted to let her know how he was truly feeling, but he didn't want something so beautiful, something so important, to take place here, among these four walls. So he kissed her, cupping her face once again. There will be time to tell her. For now he had to take one day at the time, the rest will come eventually.

Marty closed his eyes, tasting her lips a little bit more, then he broke the kiss, knowing that saying goodbye to her would be too hard. Composing himself, he inhaled deeply before talking. "You told me about Sam and Callen, Eric and Nell, and you told me about Monty… man I miss him." Again, his eyes watered thinking about his dog. He loved that furry mutt who had been his only companion for a long time and couldn't wait to meet him again. He wiped away the tears and finally asked the question that was keeping him on edge. "But what about Ray?"

Kensi knew that soon he would have done that… a knot formed in her stomach and her expression darkened. "That's a good question…"

* * *

"What did you do?"

Kensi felt cornered, when both Sam and Callen asked in unison the same question, both frowning and narrowing their eyes. "Oh come on guys, I had to tell him. I… I couldn't lie to him, not after… well, after he…" She bowed her head, not wanting to reveal too many details about her conversation with Deeks, knowing that if her friends looked at her, they would understand.

"Kensi, how's he doing?" The big boy couldn't hide his worry. He knew Kensi too well to not see that she was hiding something.

She remained silent but nervously tapped her fingers on the table of the mess hall where the three friends were sitting.

"Kensi, come on. We know there's something special between you and Deeks and we don't want personal or private details, but Deeks is our friend too. We only want to know how he's doing." Callen's voice was calm and collected, but he was deeply concerned. He and Sam had visited their friend only once and they both had noticed the little changes in his behavior, something that had them worried.

"He… I… I don't know, he is different and even if he doesn't want to admit it, he's terrified." Kensi admitted, sighing heavily.

Sam felt a sense of uneasiness as images of movies and TV shows appeared in front of his eyes. It was maybe the first time in which he really faced the reality of the facts, the reality of their friend being in jail… and jails were not always nice places. "Terrified? What do you mean? Are there people over there that are giving him hard time?"

"No, you know Deeks, his tongue can get him into trouble in a quick second, but at the same time, get him out even quicker." She replied with a light smile. Sighing, she closed her eyes before continuing. "He's terrified that he is changing too much, that his anger is getting the better of him. He told me that he almost punched a guy because he wanted to steal part of his lunch…"

Callen fell silent, lost in his thoughts. "Darn, that is not good. Hell!" His hand passed over his face in the mere attempt to wipe away his concern. "Damn it, Kens. You knew he was already stressed and you told him about Ray. Not a smart move!"

"G…" Sam placed his big hand on his best friend's shoulder, hoping to calm him down and stop him from releasing his frustration against Kensi.

"No, Sam. I don't think it was fair to Deeks."

"And what the hell do you know about what's fair to Deeks? I… I know him better than anyone else and I will never lie to him." The brunette protested vehemently, standing up and making her chair fall to the floor in the process.

"Kensi!" Sam cried out, jumping on his feet and trying to calm her down. "Look guys, we're all a bit stressed, we need to sit down and chill out."

"I'm not stressed… at least I wasn't until Mr. Perfection here decided to tell me that I did everything wrong!" Kensi couldn't believe that Callen was behaving like this. She could understand that he didn't like this situation, as much as all of them, but lashing out against her was not the solution and for sure it wouldn't make things brighter. "Listen, Deeks is the kind of guy who needs the truth. He's had too many people in his past betray him, betray his trust, and I don't want to be one of them… he doesn't deserve it. No matter how hard it was, no matter how much it hurt him, I had to tell him the truth…"

Callen bowed his head. What she was telling him was true. He knew that feeling, that sensation. He was the one who had been fighting with trust issues for his entire life and he was the one who would understand Deeks' situation better than others. "I'm sorry, Kensi. I… I shouldn't have gotten mad at you. You… you did the right thing."

Sam sighed in relief as he heard his friend's words and saw Kensi pick up the chair and sit back with them.

"Apology accepted." She smiled gently, placing her hand on G's. "I… I just… I was not able to lie to him."

"How did he take it?" Callen asked feebly as a tight knot contorted his stomach.

"How do you think he took the news that his best friend, his brother, has got in trouble in juvie and is now confined in isolation without any contact with anyone?" Kensi took the hairband she had on her wrist and tied her hair in a ponytail, mostly out of nervousness. "He didn't take it very well, mostly because he wanted to talk to Ray… knowing that he is the only one who could put some sense in that thick head of his. And obviously he is worried… deadly worried that Ray could end up in some more serious trouble once he's transferred to a regular prison."

"Yeah, that loose tongue of his and buffoon attitude are not helping him for sure." Sam stated gravely, shaking his head. He had made a promise to Deeks once, that he would have kept an eye on Ray in his absence, but right now, he didn't know how to keep his word. "Gah, he's such an idiot, damn it!"

"Sam, you know that this time…" Callen was still talking when his best friend interrupted him.

"G, I know. Trust me, I wanted to do what Ray did myself. That woman and her whole family were just too evil, but in the end, I didn't do it and this is what makes Ray and me different. Once in a while I use my brain, something he never does!" He paused, looking at his two friends, seeing the curiosity in their expressions. "But at the same time, I know that he is not completely bad and he did everything he did because he simply cares about Deeks, more than he cares about himself. Do you think that I am blind? I know that he was willing to risk everything to help Deeks and to give him a chance of a better future. And this is why I intend to continue to keep my word and keep an eye on him. They said that Ray will be out of isolation next week, so I will go down there to talk to him and threaten him to behave… for Deeks' sake at least, if he didn't want to do it for himself."

"I always knew you're just a big teddy bear…" Kensi said, barely holding a laugh.

Callen chuckled at the comment and even Sam had to do it.

"Don't you dare repeat what I said to neither Deeks or Ray. I would kill you myself if you do it!" The big boy pointed his finger menacingly at his two friends.

G became suddenly serious, as his blue eyes searched for Kensi's. "Do you think Deeks will really be ok? I… I didn't like what I saw in his eyes when we visited him and what you just told me confirmed our suspicion."

She took a moment to reply, thinking about the conversation she had with Deeks, and then she said, "Ok probably is a big word. I think that he won't be ok until he is out of that place, but… I know he has a safe place in his mind, something to focus on when those rage issues hit him, when he feels the anger boil inside of him." Her expression softened and her lips curled into a soft smile.

"A safe place?" Sam wondered, trying to read behind the lines.

Callen smirked, nodding. "I… I think I have an idea of what his safe place is…"

"What? Come on G, you know I don't like mysteries." The big boy told him with a pleading note in his voice.

G's eyes moved from his best friend to Kensi who seemed lost in her thoughts, like she was not here.

Sam's face lightened up along with his dimpled smile. "Oh, now I see…"

The brunette realized that her friends were staring at her and felt a bit embarrassed. "What? What are you staring at? I am… no, it's not what you think, I mean… no… yes… seriously guys?" It was then that her phone rang. She recognized her mother's ID, so she picked up the call a bit annoyed. "Hey mum. Yes… yes, I can come immediately… mum, are you ok? Ok, I'm on my way… but are you sure everything's all right? Your voice sounds strange… ok, ok. I'll be home in twenty. Yes, of course. See you… love you."

The two boys looked at her a bit concerned by the weird tone of the conversation.

"Is everything all right, Kensi?" Sam asked first.

"I… yes, I think. Sincerely, I don't know. She sounded… sad and strange. I… I better go and find out." Kensi got up and collected her stuff nervously. She had a bad feeling since the moment her mother had started talking. She knew that her mum was not telling her the entire truth. "See you guys." In a second she was out of the big room.

"What the hell was that about?" The big boy asked to his best friend who had a frowning expression planted on his thoughtful face.

"I don't know, but I have a feeling that we will soon find out and it won't be pleasant at all."

Silence fell between them. They didn't need any more bad news. Not now… not anymore. Without saying another word, they went back to their sandwiches, both lost in their thoughts.

* * *

She couldn't believe it, even now that she was sitting in the room waiting for Deeks to join her, she couldn't believe this was happening. Five days had passed since her mother had called on that infamous day, the longest five days of her whole young life. She hadn't slept much last night because of her contorted and knotted stomach, her dry throat, and her pounding head but mostly because of her heart that was ready to explode at any minute.

And the tension was growing, minute after minute. What was she going to tell him? How could she tell him?

Kensi had tried to think of the best way to break the news to him, but none of her attempts had sounded right. She knew she was going to hurt him and this broke her even more than she already was. Her breathing became ragged and she knew she was on the edge of crying, but she still had some dignity and she wanted to be strong.

All of her good intentions went straight into the trash when the door of the room opened and Marty walked inside. He looked thinner with light stubble covering his face, but for her, even in his crappy uniform, he was beautiful, with his golden locks and ocean blue eyes that sparkled the moment they landed on her.

As soon as they were alone, Deeks moved towards her, desperately craving for contact, but abruptly stopped when he noticed the tension gripping her body. She was tense like a violin chord, her hands were moving nervously, and she jumped from one foot to another, unable to stay still.

"Kens? Are you… is everything ok?" He asked worried, afraid to touch her, afraid to send her to pieces. "Please, tell me it's not about Ray…" His voice cracked and his expression darkened.

She shook her head, unable to find her voice, unable to utter a single word.

Marty walked closer to her, stretching his arm, his hand was just a few inches away from her face, but once again, she retreated from him, turning her back to him. "Come on, Fern, what's up? You're scaring me here…"

"Ray's fine." She finally managed to say with a voice that she barely recognized.

Deeks didn't know why, he knew that he should be relieved that his best friend was fine, but he had a gut feeling, that the worst was still to come and he was not going to like a single bit of it. "That's good, but…" He couldn't stand talking to her without looking at her straight in the eyes, so he moved towards her and uncaring of her timid resistance, he turned her around. He was ready for everything but this.

Kensi was silently crying. Hot tears were rolling down her cheeks, burning her perfect olive skin, puffing her gorgeous mismatched eyes he loved so much.

He cupped her face while he wiped away the tears with his thumbs. "Kens, please, tell me what's wrong… I can't help you if you don't talk to me."

"Things won't change, even if I talk to you." She said, placing her hand on his, closing her eyes, tilting her head to one side and enjoying his touch, his closeness.

"What… what do you mean? Kensi please, I… I don't understand…" There was a hint of desperation in his voice as a dark shadow matted his eyes, taking away their usual sparkle.

Why didn't words come out of her mouth? Why did it have to be so difficult? Kensi sighed deeply and broke the contact with him, walking backwards and once again turning her back to him. She couldn't break the news to him, looking at him. She couldn't bear to see the hurt in his expression. "I… this is… I… I'm moving…" Her voice was so feeble that she barely heard it herself.

"What? Kens… what are you… what are you talking about?" Desperation was gone from his voice and substituted by pain. "Kensi, look at me please, and tell me what the hell are you talking about…" He was trembling; his fists were clenching and unclenching nervously. When she didn't turn around, he snapped and his voice rose. "Kensi look at me and tell it to my face!"

She jumped on her feet, not expecting this kind of reaction, but she knew that she owed him an explanation. He deserved it. So, tentatively, she turned to face him, tears still running freely down her flushed cheeks. "It's not my fault, Deeks…" She started apologetically, hugging herself, bracing herself for what was going to happen. She feared that he might react badly, not against her, she knew that he would never hurt her, but releasing his anger against objects or people around him. "I swear, I didn't want this…" Her eyes were not able to leave his and her heart broke at the sight of him, of the pain written all over his face. He seemed ready to explode. "My mum's… well her boss is sending her away as a promotion. She will be in charge of her own office… she was not eager to move, but her boss didn't give her a chance. It was more like an order rather than an offer and… I… she doesn't like it, because her life is here and she knows how much I like it here, but… she can't turn the offer down and…"

Deeks was staring at her stone faced, all of the emotion had been drained from his expression. His eyes were cold like they had never been… but deep inside he was boiling, overwhelmed by the feelings.

Kensi couldn't stand this anymore, she was aware that she was hurting him, it was like she was sinking a knife in his already shattered heart. "I'm so sorry, Deeks… I don't want to leave. I want to stay here…" She launched herself at him, almost surprised that he opened his arms to hold her.

Marty didn't know what to think. It was like he was living in a dream, a nightmare most probably. Kensi, the only thing that was holding him up, that was keeping his sane, was going to leave… to leave him alone. Sincerely, he didn't know how he was truly feeling, there were so many emotions inside of him that he couldn't even understand himself. He was angry, probably furious was more accurate, but not at anyone in particular. There was a part of himself that was devastated by the news, another that was simply lost, but when this gorgeous brunette threw herself into his arms, everything disappeared and he only wanted to keep her close to him. Forever. "I know, Kens. I know." He whispered, holding her tightly, one hand protectively behind her head and another along her back.

For a moment, they stood still like this, like the time stopped, like nothing else existed, until reality hit them again.

"I don't want to go, Deeks, but I know that my mother doesn't have any other choice. It's important to her, but I don't want to leave you. I want to see you every week… not…"

"You know how much I love seeing you every week, but I can deal with seeing you less often… and maybe when I'm finally out of here, I can move to where you are… I can sneak away from here, you know I can do it… and when I'm out of here I will be almost eighteen so…" He was still talking when she stopped him, placing a finger on his lips and a hand on his heart. Her forehead leaned against it.

"Ssshhh, please stop…" She was sobbing, trying to regain some composure, but she was finding it too hard. Her throat was knotted in a tight vice. "Please."

Marty removed the hand from his lips, holding it still. "Kens…"

"We're moving to France, Deeks. France, in freaking Europe… with a damn ocean between us! I don't even want to learn French… I…"

France… France… Europe… Ocean. The words echoed in his head like a freaking drumming session. This was not happening. This was a nightmare and he was going to wake up soon, laughing at his stupidity for being fooled around by his own mind. He tried to smile at the thought but then, her hand, still on his heart, brought him back to reality. She was going to leave him, right now, when he needed her the most. Once again, he was going to be alone. Once again, life hated him. He didn't want to, but he started crying, silently, unable to say anything.

Kensi felt something wet on her face, she lifted her head and saw his tears. She had never seen him like this, not even when he was telling her about his childhood, about shooting his father or about his mother leaving. What life and his parents didn't manage to do, she did. She broke him. Her fingers moved close to his face but again, he retreated. "Deeks… please…"

"No… no." He simply told her, wriggling away from her, putting some space between them.

"Deeks, please, don't do this…" She begged him.

"When… when are you leaving?" His voice was cold and impersonal and had lost all of the affection.

Kensi braced herself, bowing her head. "In a week. This is… this is the last time we're going to see each other." She forced herself to say, even if they were the hardest words she had ever said. "But it's a goodbye, it's not forever, Deeks. We… we will see each other again. I will come back. I will find a college here and we will start everything from the beginning, because I… I don't want to live my life without you."

"I know, me too." This time it was him who turned his back to her. "You are the best gift this shitty life gave me and I thought that once in my life I got the lucky card, that once in my life I could finally have hope for the future."

"But there's still a chance, Deeks. Like you said, soon we will be eighteen and we can start thinking about our future. Together." She approached him, without touching him though, in fears that he could retreat again. It had hurt her when he did it before.

Marty chuckled bitterly. "Kens, you're going to Europe, to France, the dream of every girl. You will go there, find new friends… and soon you will forget about me, about my problems. And you know what? I'd understand if you did it." He turned around to face her. His blue eyes were still filled with tears. "I am not mad at you Kensi, because I only want the best for you, even if the best is without me. I'm just mad at myself, for believing that I could have been lucky. People like me will never have a happy ending, Kens. People like me can only end up very bad… I was such an idiot for thinking that I could be happy, that I could have a normal life."

"No! Deeks, no! Don't say that…"

She was interrupted and couldn't finish her sentence because Deeks closed the space between them and kissed her, with a passion that he had never used with her. Kensi was stunned at the moment, but then her body relaxed as she kissed him back. Her fingers ran through his hair while her heart beat following his heartbeat. It was a perfect moment, but that didn't last long.

Marty broke the kiss and started walking away from her. "Live your life and be happy Kensi. You deserve only the best. Forget about me and be happy… Please." He couldn't stop the tears and his voice was shaking. He knew that he had to leave this room or it would have been impossible for him to let her go. He rushed towards the door and banged on it. "Open the door! Damn it, open this freaking door!"

Kensi was so shocked that couldn't move a single muscle, on her lips she could still taste his flavor, her skin already craved for his touch. "Deeks…" she murmured, but it was too late.

The door opened.

Deeks turned around to look at her one more time, his ocean blue eyes locked on her mismatched ones one last time. Then, when the door opened, he rushed through it and disappeared from her view.

He was gone… Deeks was really gone. Kensi felt her legs fail her and she fell on her knees. A deep and consuming sadness was engulfing her and she felt like someone had just stolen the most important part of her life. She closed her eyes, trying to remember his face, and the tears started flowing freely.


	19. Chapter 19

Once again, I want to thank you all for reading and for your support. A big, big thank you to purecraziness for her priceless help.

* * *

Chapter 19

Saying goodbye to her friends was hard, harder than she had ever imagined, but fortunately didn't reach the level of emotions of her final goodbye to Deeks. Her heart still hurt. She had retreated into herself, starting to re-build those walls that Marty had laboriously crumbled, piece by piece.

"Promise me that you will write, ok?" Nell told her, hugging her best friend with tears in her eyes, not wanting to let her jump into the cab that was going to take Kensi and her mum to the airport.

Julia's company had found them a house in a garden suburb of Paris, in a quiet area, not far from Julia's new workplace and close to the school Kensi was going to attend. The house was furnished with everything they needed, so the two women had decided not to sell their old house, keeping it for when they came back to visit. Deep down, none of them wanted to get rid of that house because they both had too many good memories about the place, memories that they didn't want to forget and to lose.

They didn't have to bring too many things with them, just personal items and clothes that had already been delivered to their new place.

"Don't worry, I'll text you or write you an email every day. I need to know how this furry mutt is doing." Kensi knelt to pet Monty. She had wanted to take him with her, but she was aware that Monty was Deeks' dog, probably his only loyal companion, and she didn't want to deprive him of his friend the moment he was out of juvie. So she left the dog with Nell, who was going to take good care of him, being such an animal lover.

"Only to know how Monty is doing?" The diminutive girl asked her friend, crossing her arms on her chest.

"Of course not…" The brunette embraced her friend in a tight hug. "I am going to miss you so much Nell."

"Me too sweetie… I can't keep up with this bunch all alone, without you." Nell replied, pointing at their friends. Then, lowering her voice and speaking in Kensi's ear, she added, "And don't worry, I'll let you know everything about him…"

A tight knot formed in the brunette's stomach, knowing exactly to whom her best friend was referring too. Her eyes moved to each one of her friends and she could see how sad and at the same time worried they all were.

Eric moved closer and hugged her too. "Please, stay safe Kensi and call us. If you need anything, we're just one click away." He winked cunningly.

Kensi smiled at that, aware of what the geek was capable of. Then she was engulfed in a bear hug by Sam's strong arms. "Hey Sam…" She felt very sad. The big boy was a brother to her; they grew up together, knowing each other since they were just weeny babies.

"Man, you know I'll be missing you…" Sam's voice was unexpectedly emotional and almost cracked.

"Me too, Sam." Kensi lost herself in his strong arms, closing her eyes. "Keep an eye on Callen, he needs a friend, a great friend like you."

"I will, don't worry." The big boy stated. He was aware that his friend wanted to tell him more than this but that she only didn't have the courage to do it. "And don't worry, G and I will go and visit him, keep a close eye on him as well."

"Promise?" she literally begged with teary eyes.

"You have our word," Callen intervened, answering for both of them. "We won't let him destroy himself and we will remind him every day that he has friends, that he's not alone, and that he is not allowed to throw his life out of the window!"

Unable to stop, Kensi sobbed, throwing herself in G's embrace. "Thank you." She murmured in a muffled voice. "You… you take care of yourself, ok?"

"Ok… I will." The blue-eyed boy smiled, holding his friend's hand.

"Kensi, we need to go, sweetie." Julia told her daughter after she had watched the cab driver put the last of their suitcases in the trunk.

The brunette looked once again at her friends, then at her house and sighed deeply. It was hard, she never imagined it being so hard, but it was really time to go and to start a new chapter of her life. "Ok, I… I think it's really time to go guys." She wanted to hug them again, like she wanted to take a piece of them with her. "I… I will write, I promise you and we can have a Skype session and whenever you want to travel the world, you can give me a call and I'll prepare a bed for you at our house." She cast a glance at her mother who nodded, slightly smiling. "I'm going to miss every one of you."

All of her friends had glassy eyes because of the unshed tears. They all knew that it wasn't a final goodbye, that they would see one another again, but this didn't mean that it didn't hurt.

Kensi knelt one more time, scratching Monty behind his ears, knowing how much the furry mutt loved it. "You have to be a good boy, Monty, and when Deeks is out of juvie, you have to take care of him. Ok, boy?"

She didn't know whether Monty understood what she was telling him, but the dog whined and longed for another caress, for another cuddle, like he knew that something was wrong with her.

Julia placed a hand on her back, then, gave her farewell to the kids. "See you soon, kids."

"Goodbye Mrs. Blye." They replied in unison. They watched Kensi approach the car. It didn't take a genius to see that she was struggling, that leaving was the last thing she wanted to do, that she was doing every little movement so slow like she wanted to avoid the inevitable.

"Take care, Kensi." Sam told her as he had a protective arm on both Callen and Eric's shoulder, while the young techie was holding Nell tighter.

"Goodbye guys…" Unable to say much more, she went into the cab and closed the door, aware that if she waited a minute longer, she would never be able to leave.

The car started and she leaned against the window, looking at the familiar landscape that she was not going to see anytime soon. Her heart skipped a beat at the thought that she was going to leave all of this behind. Instinctively, she picked up her phone and opened the gallery. A photo of a smiling Deeks popped up and she couldn't hold on anymore. She buried her face on her mother's chest and cried herself to sleep.

* * *

The day Kensi went to see him and told him that she was moving to France, Deeks literally destroyed his cell. It was like a hurricane had passed in the small space; the bed was turned upside down, the sheets and blankets scattered all around, the few books he had on a shelf had been literally torn to pieces and thrown to the floor.

This had gained him two days in isolation.

The day Marty knew Kensi was leaving, he fell for the trick of one of the older kids and found himself in the middle of a brawl with a couple of bigger guys that gave him a couple of busted ribs, a split lip, a swollen eye, and a broken wrist. This time he spent a week in isolation.

He hoped that misbehaving, that releasing his anger against stuff or people might help him to forget about the pain in his heart, about the loneliness in his soul, but sadly it didn't work. The more he gave in to his rage, the more he felt his chest constricted and his stomach knotted… the more he missed her.

He couldn't describe how he was feeling; he simply knew that his heart had been shattered to pieces. He had felt like this only once, when his mother left, and that time it took him a lot of time and all of Ray's support to get back in line.

Sadly, here, in this place, there was no one ready to keep him line, to support him and the more he tried to survive, the more he sank into a deep hole. His mood darkened, no more jokes, no more smiles, only a consuming pain and a mounting rage that he barely controlled anymore.

Every excuse was good reason to start a fight with the other guys, usually the older and the bigger ones.

One day he was summoned to the director of the reformatory. "I don't know what to do with you anymore, Deeks." The man looked at the kid who was still carrying the signs of his last argument with another young inmate. "What happened to you to change your mood like this? In the past month you spent more days in isolation than in your regular cell. You know that if you continue like this, I will be forced to move you to another facility, don't you?"

Marty stood still, without saying a single word, uncaring of what the man was telling him, but his mind registered everything and something clicked in his brain…

"Listen to me, kid," the director continued. "I defended you until this moment, because I read your file and I know you're not a bad kid, but any more mistakes and there will consequences. You're becoming a bad example for the other kids and I can't tolerate this."

Deeks placed his hands in the pockets of his pants, showing no kind of interest and respect for the man. "Sincerely, I don't give a damn about that. Do what you have to do… I truly don't mind at all." And without waiting for a direct order to leave, he turned on his heels and walked out of the room.

The director looked at him incredulous. He should be mad for the kid's behavior, but he was more shocked by the emptiness of his expression. The first time he had met Marty Deeks he had been impressed by the sparkle in those blue eyes, by the life animating them. Right now, that light was completely gone, like life had been taken away from them… from him. He took a long deep breath, then passed a hand over his face. "What the hell happened to you kid?"

In the following weeks, Marty didn't change his attitude at all; when he was not fighting, he was misbehaving, not following orders. He even stopped studying, something that he had done with pleasure during his first period in this place.

One day, he was lying on his cot, staring blankly at the ceiling, when a guard called him. "Deeks, you have visitors!"

Marty jumped on his feet and rushed towards the visiting area, hoping that Kensi came back, that she was here to tell him that she was moving back to the US. "Who is it?" He asked expectantly.

The guard, Hector, who knew who the kid was desperately waiting for, bowed his head. He had liked Deeks since the beginning; he was a kind boy with a goofy smile who always told funny jokes. His face simply lightened up every time the brunette showed up to visit him and his mood always improved after their meeting. Hector had noted the change of his attitude after she stopped visiting him, noted how the kid had started losing himself in the darkness and felt very sorry for him. "I'm sorry, kid. It's not who you're hoping for. It's not her." The guard murmured, placing a hand over Marty's shoulder.

Deeks stopped on his feet, right in front of the door. His hand was on the knob, ready to open it, when he couldn't manage to do it. He stood like that for a few moments, then he turned to face Hector who was sure he could see unshed tears in the boy's blue eyes.

"I… I can't do it. Not anymore." He retreated from the door, trembling as his face changed and hardened, his eyes becoming cold and distant. "Tell them to get out of here… tell them to never come back!"

"Come on, Marty, you know you don't want this. They are your friends, they are here for you." Hector tried to convince him, but this made the kid even angrier.

"NO! I said that I don't want to see them. Tell them to get the hell out of here and to never come back! I don't want to see them… I don't want to see any of them!" Deeks yelled angrily, as he pushed the guard away and started running toward his cell. Tears rolled down his face as he walked like crazy along the corridors. He had lied to Hector. He wanted to see his friends desperately, but he didn't want them to see him like this. He didn't want them to see what he became.

As he arrived at his cell, he cried out angrily, lashing out his anger against the wall, once again against his bed, his books, against the few objects he owned.

A couple of guards, attracted by the commotion, walked into the small space, trying to stop him, but Marty didn't want to be stopped. He started kicking and punching, hitting his targets here and there. Other guards arrived and finally managed to immobilize him, dragging him out of his cell and putting him in isolation again where he curled into a fetal position on the floor and cried himself to sleep. He spent three days like that, on the floor, emptied of any energy, of any will to do anything other than bury himself in self-pity.

The director was forced to be true to his word and signed for Deeks' transfer to a different and stricter facility. When he told the kid why he did what he did, why he was behaving like this, the boy didn't answer at all. His only request was that no one would find out where he was taken.

Three days later, a transport van arrived to take Marty to his new destination.

* * *

More or less than thirteen months later, Nell was walking home from school with Eric at her side, keeping her company. Her parents and siblings were away, visiting their relatives like they usually did once in a year. She decided to not go because she didn't want to leave Monty alone in a boarding kennel, knowing how much the furry mutt didn't like it.

They approached her house and the petite redheaded started feeling a sense of uneasiness, like something was wrong. She could sense that something was about to happen, something that she was not going to like.

"What's up?" Eric asked her, seeing her distracted face.

"I… I don't know, just a gut feeling. I can feel… gah, I don't know, maybe I'm just being paranoid." She replied, smiling kindly. Maybe she was just a bit paranoid by the fact that she was not used to being alone in her house or maybe it was just a bit of the stress from school, which had been pretty demanding lately. "Don't mind me… you know how I am…"

The techie bumped her shoulder playfully, making her smile, but deep inside, her anxiety was unexplainably growing.

They finally reached the door of her house and she was surprised to not hear Monty moaning behind it. The dog usually did, because he knew that he was going to receive some treats and to be engulfed by caresses and affection.

They walked inside and everything was in its place, but no sign of Monty.

"Monty? Hey boy… where are you?" Nell called, trying to hide her worry. No answer or no sign of the furry mutt.

Eric started to be a bit concerned as well. The dog never behaved like this, he always waited behind the door so whoever was going to step inside was going to be affectionately assaulted by his exuberance. "Monty?"

"Eric, where is he? He couldn't have escaped… what if someone stole him? I can't… no… no…"

"Nell, calm down, ok? Maybe he was just tired and he's sleeping in his bed." The techie tried to calm her down, but he was far from calm himself. He had been at her house very often, almost every day, and Monty had always been there to welcome him.

"Yeah maybe…" Without saying anything else, Nell rushed to the place where the dog's bed was, but found nothing. It was empty. "He's not here, Eric, he's not here! I… I need to call someone. I think someone snuck into my house and stole him… I…" She took out her phone and dialed 911, but as she did, she approached the little table where all of Monty's toys and food were and she saw a little piece of paper placed on it. Still on the phone, she picked up the note and read it.

_Don't worry. Monty's fine._

_Thank you for what you did for him._

_M.D._

Nell showed the note to Eric and a bittersweet smile curled her lips.

"Is this… is he… how…" He babbled, almost in shock.

She nodded, wiping away a lonely tear that escaped from her eye. "It's ok, Eric. Monty is where he belongs… with whom he belongs to…"

This was the last time they heard from Marty Deeks.

* * *

_Fifteen years later_.

Kensi walked along the alleys, looking behind her back every once in a while to see if someone was following her. She knew this was just another operation, like the hundreds she did in the past, but she didn't know why she was so edgy.

Since waking up that morning, she had felt strange, with a tight knot clenching her stomach. Even when she had arrived at the office, the usual banter with her friends didn't completely lighten up her mood.

"Come on girl, get your shit together," she told herself. "You're a federal agent, not just a lost little girl."

Yes, because Kensi Marie Blye was an NCIS agent and had been for a while.

When she was fifteen years old, she had left the US to move to France with her mother. At first she had been devastated, hating every second of her new accommodations, but day by day, things started to get better, especially when, with her big surprise, she met a familiar face over there. It had been a shock at the moment when she found herself face to face with him, but soon she started to get back in the rhythm, enjoying every moment she had spent with him. Jack was exactly like she remembered - charming, serious, and straight to the point. What had been something more than a special friendship when they were younger, became much more now. It became love. They started dating and two years after their reunion, when Kensi was twenty, Jack decided to move back to the US to fully embrace the military career, she decided to follow him, so she could graduate at a good school and start her own career.

They lived together and were very happy. In spite of her young age, they got engaged and started planning their future. But, as always, good things didn't last for her. Jack was deployed to Fallujah and when he came back, he was not the same. The doctors said that he had developed PTSD. She did everything she could for him, helping him with everything she could, literally erasing her whole life to help him, but for him, this was probably not enough and one day, one infamous morning on Christmas Day, Kensi woke up to an empty bed. Jack was gone. Forever. He simply disappeared, without a word, leaving her completely destroyed.

It was then, when she thought that there was nothing left for her, that her life changed. And it changed for the good.

She had kept in contact with Nell throughout the years, but they were not as close as they had been in the past. The long distance and her engagement had kept them apart, but after Jack left, Nell was the one who held her together. And it was Nell that one night drove her to a bar they had never went to before.

And it was there that Kensi met her future. She never expected to find Hetty Lange, the principal of her old high school there, only this time she was not Hetty Lange the principal, anymore. She was Hetty Lange, Operations Manager of the OSP office of NCIS in Los Angeles. The diminutive woman told her how her job at the school had always been her cover, that she was there to find potential new agents and that she had kept eyes on her a long time ago because she had the ability to be a great agent.

After recovering from the shock, Kensi looked at Nell who was smiling at her. Her friend told her that she should jump into this new adventure and that she was not going to regret it at all, especially if she had to meet her coworkers and teammates.

Kensi didn't need to think about it too much. It was a good opportunity, a good job that could allow her to do something good for the people, not to mention keep her mind away from her personal life. She jumped onto the new adventure, not knowing that she was going to meet some other familiar faces. Nell was in fact the analyst for the office, but Eric was there too as the techie guy, while Sam and Callen were the field agents.

Sam had become a SEAL before deciding for a change of career and turning himself into an NCIS agent. Callen was simply a spy since he worked for CIA first, until Hetty had contacted him too and wanted him aboard.

The whole gang was back together and Kensi finally felt at home again. She never regretted her decision.

"Hey Kensi, is everything all right?" Eric asked through the comm when he realized that she was too silent, not talking like she used to do in these situations.

"I'm fine, Eric. I just can't shake this weird feeling that I have had since this morning." She answered honestly.

"Is it a weird feeling or just sugar deprivation? I don't think you've eaten a Twinkie or a donut since early this morning…" Sam intervened from his position in his Challenger, right beside Callen. They were keeping an eye on their teammate as she was approaching the meeting point.

They were tracking Moses Harris; an arms dealer who was selling weapons to foreign countries or private contractors and who didn't care about anyone who put himself in his way. Sadly for him, the last person he killed was a young marine and this why NCIS was on his tail.

Kensi was posing as one of these contractors who had contacts in South America where she was going to sell the stolen weapons. She had showed up at the club Harris usually frequented, the Diamond King, and she had immediately attracted his attention. The arms dealer asked her to meet him today, in this alley, right behind the club. And here she was.

Callen was supposed to show up as well, as Kensi's boyfriend and associate, the one who owned the money for the whole operation.

"This is probably because none of you decided to refill my stash of sugar treats!" She told her friends, with an ironic note in her voice. "You know you're going to pay for this one day or another."

"Guys, you know what's she's capable of, you know better than to mess up with her." Nell spoke through the comm, smiling lightly. She and Kensi liked to joke with the guys, something they used to do even when they were teenagers.

"Oh yes, I know exactly how much she likes to kick men's jewels… it's like a sport to her!" Sam grimaced, remembering when she had kicked a main suspect in his groin and how the man could barely talk for two days because of the pain.

"But I do it only to the ones who deserve it…" The brunette specified.

"Exactly… and this is why you have to be very careful guys…" Nell added again, barely holding a chuckle.

"Miss Blye, do you have a visual on Harris?" Hetty's voice suddenly could be heard through their comms and everyone turned serious. She knew that her team was good, more than good, but she also knew that sometimes they tended to get carried away with words and jokes because of the familiarity they have with one another.

"Not yet, Hetty, but I'm getting to the meeting point. I'll be there in ten minutes." Kensi answered, looking once again behind her back. "No one is following me."

"Affirmative, there was a man following her until she turned into the alley, then he disappeared. They probably have eyes on this area and they feel safe." Sam could feel the tension growing, it was in his nature to be protective, but when it came to his female teammate, a woman who was a sister to him, he was even more careful and suspicious.

"Kensi, we have eyes on you and I am ready to join you in a blink of an eye when Harris shows up." Callen told her, checking his watch. They were perfectly on time. He picked up the briefcase that was laying on the back seat of the Challenger and opened it, revealing a big stash of money. "Eric, is the tracking device really impossible to notice? We can't make any mistakes here because it could be our only chance to get Harris before he leaves the country.

"It's a new kind of tracker that works on specific frequencies that can't be detected with normal systems so they have to have a specific instrument or a dedicated tracking device or…"

"Eric, I asked for a yes or no, not for the encyclopedia on electronics." The team leader stated with a scolding tone.

The tech fell silent for a moment and then he said, "It's impossible to track..."

Everyone chuckled at the sound of his child-like voice, but they all turned serious when Kensi spoke again.

"I'm almost there. I can see someone over there, but it doesn't look like Harris." She narrowed her eyes, slowing her pace down. In the distance she could see the silhouette of a tall man who was leaning his back against the wall. He was smoking since she could see small circles of smoke coming out of his mouth. A dog was sitting next to him, literally staring at him in awe. It was a weird scene, not something she expected to see in a place like this. She waited a few minutes, watching the man kneel and pet the dog who whined happily. There was a lot of familiarity in the gesture and for sure the two of them looked very close, like in symbiosis.

Another man walked through the door and this time Kensi recognized the sturdy figure of Moses Harris. He was an Afro-American man, in his late forties, with short hair and a deep cavernous voice that, thanks to his thick Southern accent, had a musical tone to it.

"I should have known you were here with that freaking mutt of yours!" Moses said to the first man who didn't reply. He just petted the dog once again, before putting the cigarette out.

Kensi walked closer, trying to be very confident. "Guys, I have a visual on Harris. I'm approaching him."

"Be careful, Kensi. I am on my way." Callen told her, exchanging a nod with Sam and getting out of the car with the case secure in his hand. "Time for Mr. Carl to meet Mr. Harris."

As Kensi walked towards her target, she could feel her level of anxiety rising. It was a strange feeling, something that she didn't expect. She was usually very calm during this kind of operation, knowing that her team was there to back her up and that Callen was ready to be at her side. This time it was different; her mouth was dry and her throat knotted.

Once again, the bad feeling that had been her constant companion since the morning made itself noticeable, and her hands trembled a little. "What the hell is wrong with you girl?" She silently asked herself. She hadn't felt like this in a long time… she was much younger and mostly it was another life. "Why now? What the hell is happening to me?"

She was just a few feet away from Harris, his distinctive form was right in front of her while the slender figure of the other man, was still hidden in the shadow.

"Miss Velazquez, perfectly on time." Moses greeted her while a couple of his bodyguards came out through the door.

"I wouldn't have liked to be late to our first official business meeting. My father always told me that the first impression is the most important… and he was never wrong." She said with a calm voice, surprising even herself.

"I like that, especially in a woman." Harris was studying her, his eyes were literally scanning every inch of her body, lingering a while longer on her long legs and almost exposed breasts that were escaping from her plunging neckline. "Now, where's that boyfriend of yours?"

Callen didn't give the man the chance to finish his sentence, appearing out of nowhere. "Here I am." He walked steadily towards his teammate and the other man. "I am Mr. Carl."

As soon as he was next to Kensi, the mysterious man hiding in the shadow, still with his dog at his side, moved a step closer and for the first time, she could see a glimpse of him. He had shaggy blond hair and was wearing a leather jacket over a black V-neck t-shirt. She didn't know why her heart started speeding up like she was running a marathon and her stomach contorted even more. There was something almost familiar in this man but she couldn't put a finger on it. Was he someone she had put away? Was he someone who could make her and Callen, ruining their operation?

He was still hiding in the dark so she hadn't been able to see his face yet.

There was a smell in the air that the taste of cigarette couldn't hide and she definitely knew that taste… but where did it come from?"

"Mr. Carl, it's a pleasure to meet you. Your lovely girlfriend told me a lot of good things about you and sincerely I couldn't wait to do some business with you." Harris moved a step closer to Callen who tensed, imperceptibly moving his free hand towards his gun hidden behind his back.

"She likes to exaggerate, but I bet you checked my credentials…" The team leader was aware that someone had checked his and Kensi's aliases' backstories. Eric had done a great job backstopping them so he was very confident that they hadn't been made.

"Obviously. I like to know who I am dealing with." Moses smiled, showing his white teeth. "Now, why don't we go inside and start talking business seriously? I have some impending obligations to take care of so I need to be out of town by tomorrow morning."

"And I don't want your obligations to wait." Callen was moving towards the door when the two bodyguards blocked his way.

"Not so quickly, Mr. Carl." Harris told him, beckoning at the mysterious man in the back, who slowly walked towards them. "Max, frisk them, see if they are… hiding something. I don't mind guns. They can take them since they know they better not use them inside, but I don't want any other kind of surprises." Moses' eyes sparkled mischievously as he found his way inside.

The man called Max made a gesture to his dog. "Stay." He ordered and the mutt did exactly what he had been asked to, then he moved behind Callen and started frisking him cautiously.

G didn't look at the man but just stared at the door that Harris had just stepped through so he didn't have a clear view of the blond man's face.

After a few long minutes, Max was done. "He's clean. Let him go." he said to the two bodyguards who moved away and allowed him inside. Then he approached Kensi.

She narrowed her eyes and as Max's face moved just a few inches away from her, she realized that she couldn't breathe. It was not possible… it couldn't be true. It had been so long but she couldn't believe she was looking straight at those eyes. She wanted to say something, but she was aware that she was risking her mission… Who was she fooling? If this man was who she thought he was, the mission was already in jeopardy, absolutely compromised, and all of them were in danger.

Kensi cast a close glance at this Max guy who didn't show any sign of recognition, what kind of game was he playing? Because it was impossible that she was wrong. Those blue eyes couldn't lie and she knew them too well. And then there was the smell that suddenly came to her, the salty taste of the ocean… it was him, it had to be him.

"She's clean!" Max finally said after he was done frisking her.

Kensi had shivered when his hands had danced along the curve of her body; sending cold chills down her spine. She had to swallow hard a lot of times, biting her lips, fighting the urge to say something, to call his name.

It was when he finally talked directly to her that she was sure, that there weren't any more doubts.

"You can go inside, Princess." He whispered in her ear as he turned on his heels and preceded her inside.

The NCIS agent's hands were shaking and she was slowly losing her cool. It was him, after so many years she didn't expect to see him again and mostly she didn't expect him to find him in this situation. It was so surreal that she had to force herself to put one foot in front of the other. Her lips instinctively moved, forming a name she thought she had completely forgotten. "Deeks…" she murmured.

A grave silence engulfed Ops and Sam's Challenger before Hetty's voice resounded clear in their comms. "Oh bugger!"


	20. Chapter 20

Still a broken record here, but thank you all for reading this story and for your support. I truly appreciate it.

And as always, a big thank you to purecraziness for her help

* * *

Chapter 20

The inside of the Diamond King was not very different from any of the most famous clubs in Los Angeles. Low lights, women that walked through the tables offering more than a simple drink, and men drooling to have a taste of them.

Obviously, there was a private area where the most influent customers could have their meetings with the girls, absolutely undisturbed.

Moses Harris and his men literally owned the private area. They used it for their sexual affairs but mostly for Harris' private business.

When Kensi walked inside, she felt scrutinizing eyes looking at her, almost eating her. Some of the women who were entertaining Moses' men stared at her like she was an usurper while the thugs simply wanted to take her in their beds.

"Over here." Seeing her a bit lost, Max guided her to the room where Callen was already sitting on a couch right in front of Harris. "Boss is inside." His eyes never looked at her, making her doubt that this man was really Marty Deeks, the boy who stole her heart when she was a teenager and who acts of Gods took away from her. The boy who still had an important place in her soul.

She stepped into the room, taking place next to her friend who looked at her first and then at this Max guy.

Callen was cursing himself for not realizing it sooner. There was no doubts that this man was the boy they all knew as a teenager, the boy who mysteriously disappeared from their life a long time ago. The team leader could feel Kensi's hand tremble in his and her whole body was very tense.

Her eyes were studying Max, begging him to turn his face and stare at her. She knew that if their eyes crossed, she would be able to read him like an open book, but he never gave her the chance to do it.

Max, or Deeks as they preferred to refer at him as, stood next to the door. He was very relaxed, like nothing was happening around him. He was tall, very tall, probably not as tall as Sam, but close enough. Nonchalantly, he removed his leather jacket, showing his slender figure, with tonic arms and body. For sure he was taking good care of himself.

His hair was not as long as Kensi remembered, but his stubble was thicker. She had this insane desire to pass her fingers through those golden locks like she did a lot of times in the past.

"So, Mr. Carl, let's talk about business. Your girlfriend here said that you were thinking about buying some of my merchandise, but she didn't mention exactly of how many pieces we're talking about." Harris started, pouring himself, Callen, and Kensi a glass of French Champagne and offering it to them.

"We're talking about at least one thousand handguns, seven-eight hundred rifles, and… I heard you have something heavier, like grenade launchers…" The team leader sipped from his glass, but his eyes were on Moses and they never left him.

Kensi was a bit distracted instead, unable to take her gaze away from Deeks.

"Rosana, I thought you were more explicit with Mr. Harris about my request." This was Callen's attempt to make her focus and to warn the others that things might become a bit more complicated than they had initially expected.

"Mr. Callen, is everything all right? Is the mission compromised?" Hetty asked through the comm, ready to call a tactical squad to back her team up.

"I am sorry, dear, I was probably a bit distracted, but it won't happen again, my mind is focused on my business." Kensi replied immediately, signaling that everything was under control for now and that she had her mind on the operation.

Harris leaned towards Callen, grinning cunningly. "If I were you, I would know what kind of business I'd take care of with her, Mr. Carl. Your girl is absolutely gorgeous, where did you find her?"

"Let's just say that we found each other." The team leader whispered, smirking, following Moses' lead.

"And I bet you're not interested in sharing her…"

This time Callen slammed his glass on the table, pretending to be mad while he was disgusted instead. "If this is the kind of business you want to do with me, well, I think we're done here!" He jumped on his feet, buttoning his jacket and attempting to move towards the door.

Deeks tensed and he made a step closer as his hand moved to the gun in his shoulder holster.

"Easy Max, everything is under control." Harris stopped him from making any further moves. "We just had a little misunderstanding, didn't we, Mr. Carl?"

The blue-eyed team leader locked his glance for the first time with the man who once was his friend and his blood froze. This Max guy looked exactly like Marty Deeks, but at the same time he was nothing like him. His gaze was cold as ice and he didn't have anything of Marty's laid back attitude. This Max guy was simply heartless. "What the hell happened to you, Deeks?" Callen thought, moving his attention back to Moses.

"Yes, a little misunderstanding." He took Kensi's hand to make sure she was still with him. He couldn't run the risk of being alone against Harris' men. "Can we go back to business?"

Moses picked up his glass and calmly took a long sip. "So, we were talking about one thousand guns and eight hundred rifles. This is not a problem."

"We were talking about something heavier…" It was Kensi who intervened, showing the man that she was not just a decorative object, but she had her own mind and was an active part of the business.

Harris burst out laughing, a big fat laugh. "Oh I like this one!" He turned towards Deeks who smiled lightly, a smile that didn't reach his eyes though. "Did you see her Max? You should hang out with a girl like this one, not with those whores you like to fuck! Not to mention that you spend too much time around that freaking furry mutt of yours!"

Marty's expression hardened and his eyes narrowed. "You know that you better leave Monty out of this."

Kensi felt her heart sink. Monty… this couldn't be a coincidence. No matter what happened to this man, there was still a part of her Deeks in him if he called this new dog the same name of his old dog; of the dog he loved so much when he was a teenager. In that moment, she only wanted to launch herself at him, to feel his arms around her, but she had to resist the urge. She didn't know what kind of man this Max was… what kind of man Deeks had become.

"Jeez, Max. Why are you always so tense? Relax man… just relax." Harris then turned towards Callen. "He's damn serious, probably too fucking serious, but he's the best bodyguard… assistant… associate I've ever had. Loyal to the bone, he always has the job done, always clean. You should find someone like him to have around. He can be very handy."

The blue-eyed NCIS agent grinned cunningly before talking. "And I bet you're not interested in sharing…"

Once again, Harris burst out laughing. "Oh man, I like you, Mr. Carl. I really do." His expression turned serious, sign that he was back to business. "I think I have what you need. Everything. But the price obviously gets higher, you can imagine that these particular items are very rare."

Without saying a single word, Callen opened the briefcase, showing the other man the money.

A big pleased grin curled Moses' lips. "I think we are in business, Mr. Carl." He was putting his hands on the money when Kensi closed the case and took it away from him. "Hey, what the hell…?"

"You saw the money, we want to see the merchandise." She said coldly, her mismatched eyes locked on the other man's.

"Fair enough." Harris beckoned to Deeks who walked out of the room only to return a few minutes later holding a big case. He placed it on the table and opened it, revealing its content: a gun, an automatic rifle, and a tablet. With a quick movement, he turned the device on and images started sliding on the screen, showing the grenade launcher in action.

Both Callen and Kensi shivered when they saw that Deeks was the one who was testing the weapon in the video and that he was doing it with dexterity.

"So, what do you think?" Moses asked, slightly amused with himself.

Kensi picked up the gun and started testing it. It was obviously not loaded, but it was perfect. She repeated the same gestures for the rifle, which was even more perfect. She nodded to her teammate, silently telling him that these were the weapons they were looking for.

Callen nodded back, ready to say the word that would have called for the intervention of the tactical squad, when a commotion exploded outside of the room. Soon, gunshots could be heard along with screams and curses from people.

Deeks took a quick peek outside, un-holstering his gun immediately. "Damn it!" He cursed.

"Max, what's going on?" Harris asked worriedly, as he took out his own weapon.

"Ruzinky's men! How the hell did they get inside?" The blond man replied, retreating just in time before a bullet could hit him in his head. He immediately started firing back.

Harris stood up, looking at the federal agents. "You! You are with Ruzinky!" He aimed his gun at Kensi who hadn't had the chance to take out her gun yet.

She tried to show her horror and surprise, trying to buy herself and Callen some time. "And who the hell is this Ruzinky guy? I don't even know someone named Ruzinky!"

"Don't be cheeky, bitch. I'm not in the mood." Moses' voice had lost all of its musicality and was simply cold now.

Bullets ricocheted inside while Deeks fired back. "We need to get out of here!"

Taking the chance, Callen used this sentence to call for back up. "Yes, we should get out of here… maybe with a little help!"

This was enough for Eric and Nell to send the distress call. In a mere second a tactical squad jumped in action, rushing into the club, which quickly became a battle field.

Moses still had both the federal agents under control. "Max, stop shooting and get us out of here!" He ordered, and the blond man did what he had been asked to. He moved away from the door and started fidgeting with a panel of the wall that soon gave way. "In here!" He yelled, moving quickly to grab Kensi's arms and push her into the secret passage that he had just opened.

Harris did exactly the same with Callen and they started to walk into a barely lit tunnel. They could hear the sound of gunshots echoing behind them, getting feebler and feebler as they got away from the room.

After a few moments they found themselves outside, in one of the alleys surrounding the club. A furry form joined them, running in circles around his master. "Good boy, Monty. Good boy." Deeks said, still grabbing Kensi's arm.

"Now, I think you have some explaining to do." Harris had his gun aimed at Callen and Kensi was staring at the barrel of Deeks' gun. "You are working with Ruzinky!"

"And do you think I want to share? I work for myself and if you give me the chance to prove it, you will find out that we can make some great deals together!" The team leader was a bit out of ideas. Moses and Deeks had taken their guns while they were in the tunnel and now they were disarmed, facing a very angry, armed man, and someone they didn't know where he stood.

"Why do I have the feeling that you are lying to me? And I am always right!" Harris beckoned to his man. "Max…"

The blond man lifted his gun, aiming it straight at Kensi's head. His eyes were still cold as ice. "Now, Mr. Carl, what do you think if my boy Max blows your pretty girlfriend's head away?"

Callen swallowed hard. "Damn it Sam, where are you?" He murmured, hoping that his partner could hear it from the comm.

"Almost there, G!" Sam's voice resounded loud and clear in his ear.

Kensi's eyes were locked on Deeks' emotionless expression. She could see that his hand was steady, without any sign of trembling from hesitation. So, he was truly one of the bad guys… he changed so much to become what he always swore he would never turn into. For the first time in a long time, she could feel the fear running through her veins, gripping her heart and making her legs like jell-o.

"No! Please…" Callen said, placing his hands in front of himself, hoping to stop Harris from giving Deeks the order to shoot. "Don't shoot, please." He hesitated a moment, casting a glance at his teammate, sensing the tension blocking her. "Look, I told you I don't know any Ruzinky… I am sincere. I… was here to make business with you, nothing more!"

It was then that Sam and a couple of other agents emerged from the tunnel with another three joining them from the alley.

Harris looked at his surroundings, feeling a bit cornered. "Son of a bitch!" He shouted angrily. "Shoot her, Max! Shoot her now! Shoot her or I'll shoot her myself!" He moved his gun towards Kensi.

What happened next seemed to move in slow motion. Sam and Callen screamed in unison and a few gunshots filled the air.

Kensi pleading eyes stared at the man standing in front of her, locking her mismatched orbs on his blue ones. "Deeks, no…" She whispered, closing her eyes, waiting for the pain to catch up with her. She waited… but nothing happened.

When she opened her eyes, she saw Harris fall to the ground with a bullet between his eyes… a bullet that came from Deeks' gun.

She looked at him, smiling, taking a step toward him. "Deeks… it's really you…" She had tears in her eyes and her heart was pounding heavily, almost exploding in her chest. She was just a few inches away from him, when his face grimaced, turning into a mask of pain… his legs failed him and he fell to his knees, while blood was soaking his shirt right where his heart was. "Deeks, NO!" She cried out, running towards him before he could fall to the ground.

Sam and Callen turned to face one of the youngest agents of the tactical team, who still had his rifle aimed at the blond man.

"Put that damn rifle down!" The ex-Seal's booming voice said.

"But he was… he was going to shoot her, I had to… I had to stop him…"

"Eric, we need an ambulance. NOW!" Callen shouted through the comm as he rushed at Kensi and Deeks' side.

She had Marty in her lap, as she tried to stop the bleeding. "Don't you dare die on me, Deeks… not now… Deeks!"

His eyes were fluttering, fighting to stay open. His trembling hand moved to Kensi's face and a sad smile appeared on his bloodied lips. "Ke… Kens…"

"It's me, Deeks… it's really me…" She was so desperate. He was so close and now…

"Kensi…" Deeks was too weak to talk, but his eyes shone at the sight. She was so beautiful… even more than he remembered, but staying awake was too much. He was so tired… his eyes closed and then darkness engulfed him, but in distance he was sure he could hear her voice calling his name and it was the best sound he had heard in a long, long time.

* * *

Kensi had her eyes glued on the door that separated her from the ER, hoping that it would open right now and a doctor would come out to tell her that Deeks was going to be ok.

She had forced the paramedics to take her with them in the ambulance and had witnessed how they revived him two times. There was so much blood… blood that was still on her hands and clothes.

"Kensi, why don't you go clean yourself up?" Sam told her, placing a hand on her shoulder, but she didn't seem to have heard him at all.

"Kensi, hey…" Callen intervened, looking worriedly at his friend.

She lifted her head with tears in her eyes and stared at her bloodied hands, in horror. "There was so much blood Callen… it didn't stop…"

The team leader sat next to her, guiding her in his embrace. "Hey, he's alive and now the doctors are taking care of him. He's in good hands. Hetty wouldn't have forced them to take him here if she didn't know they were good."

Sam helped her on her feet. "Come on, you need to wash that blood away and I have your go bag so you can change into something more comfortable… and clean." He gave her a dimpled smile, anticipating her protest. "And don't worry, if the doc comes out, G will come and get us. Right, G?"

"You can count on that!"

Tentatively, Kensi started walking towards the bathroom, without saying a single word.

"Take care of her." Callen told his partner, passing his hand over his face. Man, when did this operation start to be so messy? He almost couldn't believe what had happened… and mostly he couldn't believe that they met their old friend in this kind of situation. "What kind of trouble are you in, Deeks? Where have you been all this time?" He closed his eyes, asking himself the question that was bothering him since the beginning. "Where do you stand Deeks?" Yes, because Deeks had stood for Harris, he was clearly his right hand man, but when it came to follow Moses' orders once again and to shoot Kensi, he didn't do it, placing a bullet between the eyes of his boss.

He was still lost in his thoughts when Eric and Nell showed up.

"Callen, hey, is it really true? It's really Deeks?" Eric wondered, unable to keep his nervousness at bay.

"Yeah, so it seems. He… he saved Kensi's life." The team leader admitted heavily.

"What? But…" Nell cast a look around and asked, "Where's Kensi? Is she ok?"

"Yes, she's fine… well, physically at least. Sam took her to the bathroom to change into some clean clothes."

The petite analyst was moving to go to help her best friend when Kensi showed up behind her, wearing a pair of jeans and a clean blue V-neck. "Hey…" she simply said, hugging the taller woman. "How are you feeling?"

"I… I don't know. It's… it's weird. I still can't believe it…" The female agent looked confused, lost, and once again her eyes were locked on the door of the ER. "Any news?"

"No, nothing yet." Callen stated gravely.

"Well, no news is good news, isn't it?" Eric tried to lift everyone's mood but it was not easy at all.

It was in that moment that Hetty decided to show up. "You are right, Mr. Beale."

"Do we know anything about… well, about him?" Sam wondered, not sure he wanted to know the whole story.

Nell guided Kensi to the chair and then took out her tablet. "We ran some research about this Max Gentry. He has a long record of various crimes, but he never spent more than a few months straight in jail. According to the profile that has been traced to him, he is very dangerous and eager to use violence to get what he wants. He doesn't like stable relationships and prefers having a different woman in his bed every night. It seems that he worked for a lot of influential… underground bosses and this is the reason why he's always had a good lawyer getting him out of jail." She paused, taking a long deep breath, looking at her best friend. "I'm sorry, Kensi, but…"

"It's ok, Nell. It's not your fault." Kensi murmured, bowing her head.

"Hey, it's not your fault either. Don't you even try to feel guilty because of what he became…" The analyst tried to convince her friend, barely making it though.

"What is a bit strange is that no one has ever heard of Max Gentry until five years ago… but…" Eric looked at his friends, sensing their eyes on him. "…at the same time, we didn't find any traces of Marty Deeks after he served his time in juvie."

"So you think he disappeared and became Max Gentry?" Callen was trying to think about Deeks' life, about the reasons why he changed so much, from the kind boy who risked his life to save other kids from the fire to a cold blooded criminal. "I… I can't believe it."

"All the evidence led us in this direction. There are still some big holes in his backstory, but there is a high probability that this is what actually happened." Nell explained, sighing deeply. She didn't like it either, but this was what the information was telling them.

Sam shook his head, closing his eyes and inhaling deeply. "We don't know what happened to him in juvie and when he got out of it. He could have met the wrong people… and he was still so young…"

Silence fell among them; no one wanted to add anything more, until Kensi opened her mouth for the first time.

"He saved my life and I… I looked into his eyes. He is still Deeks, the same Deeks we knew back then." She spoke with a quiet but steady voice.

"Kensi, it's too soon to say that… and you are too involved." The big man tried to reach his friend, but she retreated from him.

"Too involved? Come on Sam, say it. You think I can't think straight! You think I fell for him again and I can't see things as they are!"

"Kensi, it's not…"

"NO! I know he is not a bad person. I don't care what your freaking data said, that man inside is not this fucking Max Gentry. He's Marty Deeks." She was standing, trembling, and unable to stop herself from shaking, too emotional to calm down. "I can feel it… I know it."

The door of the ER area opened and a middle aged doctor walked towards them. "Are you here for Max Gentry?"

"Deeks!" Kensi specified dryly. "His name is Marty Deeks."

The doctor exchanged a wary stare with Hetty who nodded, tilting her head to one side, and so he continued, "Well, Mr. Deeks is very lucky. The bullet entered from his back and stopped very closed to the heart, just nicking it. The damage was fortunately not very extensive and we managed to repair it. He lost a great amount of blood though, so we are still keeping him in the ICU because he is still not out of the woods, but if unforeseen events don't happen in the next twenty-four hours, he will be fine."

"So, is he going to be ok?" Kensi asked expectantly.

"I truly think so." The doctor finished with a smile, happy to see the relieved expressions on these people's faces. "But…"

Hetty lifted her eyebrow skeptically. "What, Johnathan?"

"Well, that man…" The doctor indicated a man in a black suit sitting not very far from them. "He gave me strict orders to cuff the patient to the bed and not allow any visitors inside his room."

The Operations Manager turned to look at the man and a bitter smile curled her lips. "I'll take care of him…"

"Hetty, who is that man?" Callen frowned, only wanting to punch the man, just because of the way he sat in his chair.

"That, Mr. Callen, is Special Agent Brody Grimes, FBI." The diminutive woman told him.

"FBI? And what they hell do they want from Deeks?" Kensi's anger was boiling, but she was trying to control herself.

"Not from Mr. Deeks, Miss Blye, but from Max Gentry." Without adding anything else, Hetty started walking towards the man.

The rest of the team just stared at her and at the interaction with the FBI agent, hoping that she could work her magic and that they could visit their wounded friend.

* * *

"Good morning, Brody. I didn't expect you to interfere, once again, with my case." Hetty greeted the man, sitting next to him.

Brody Grimes was a man in his late fifties, probably early sixties. He had long legs and a still tonic body, but his grey hair was almost gone. He had a pair of piercing grey eyes that had probably broken more than a few hearts when he was younger. "Good morning, Henrietta. It's always a pleasure to see you."

"A pleasure? I wouldn't call it exactly a pleasure if I was you." She said, with a smile still on her lips. "Especially if you don't allow my team to visit Mr. Gentry." She didn't want to use Mr. Deeks' real name, not yet, because first she needed to find out what Grimes knew exactly.

"I didn't know you and your team were interested in a criminal wanted by the FBI for uncountable crimes."

"For the record, we're just interested in him because of this particular case." The Operations Manager clarified, making herself comfortable in the chair, showing the man that she didn't have anything to hide.

"Your agents over there seem a bit too eager to see Gentry, like it's something more personal than professional." Grimes stood up, towering the woman from his height. "You are not hiding something from us, are you Henrietta?"

"Me? I never hide anything from you, Brody. We only want to visit Mr. Gentry, and we'd like you to order your men to remove the handcuffs." Hetty got up herself, absolutely not afraid of the taller man. "If you spent a moment to listen to the doctor, you would know that he is harmless at the moment."

"Oh yes, Dr. Johnathan DeWitt, a close friend of yours. Isn't it a bit strange that you checked Mr. Gentry specifically into this hospital so your dear friend could be his physician?"

"Just a coincidence…" The Operations Manager smiled, placing her hands behind her back and walking around Grimes.

"Well, I think there are a lot of coincidences here… since no one knows where Max Gentry comes from, no one knows anything about him, but you gave Johnathan a lot of information about his blood type and medical history. Are there any other coincidences I should know about?" Brody's face was now deadly serious and all the pleasantries had disappeared from his voice. "I am not going to ask you anymore, Henrietta, but what kind of game are you playing?"

"I am not playing any game, Brody." She told him firmly, without even blinking.

"So, if it's not a game, what is it?" Grimes furrowed his brows, once again intrigued by this woman. He has known Hetty Lange for a long time and has had a lot of confrontations with her, but he had to recognize the fact that she had been rarely wrong. "Who is Max Gentry? And why do you know so much about him?"

"Do you trust me, Brody?" She asked directly, a honest note filled her voice.

"No, I've never trusted you and I am glad I did it, because of your manipulative nature, but at the same time, I know that you never did anything to put this country or the people in danger."

Hetty nodded, taking this answer coming from the FBI agent as the closest thing to a leap of faith. "I don't know who Max Gentry is, where he comes from, what his history is…" She paused, preventing the man from interrupting her before she had finished. "…but my team and I probably know the man he once was."

"One of your kids?" Brody knew about the Hetty's unorthodox methods of recruitment, he knew how much she liked to find gifted kids among the students and turn them along the years into great agents. It was one of her many talents.

"Not exactly, but close enough… let's call him a long lost puppy… and a black sheep." She replied, slightly bowing her head for the first time in front of the taller man. For her, Marty Deeks had been and still was, one of her most scorching defeats and she insanely wanted to make up for it.

"Ok, then. You can visit him, talk to him, but the cuffs remain and when he is good enough to leave the hospital, he's ours." Grimes studied her intently, looking for a reaction that never came. "He's still wanted by the FBI, so don't try to play any tricks. Deal?"

"We have a deal." She bowed in front of him, then, she said her goodbye and left. "See you around, Brody."

As she approached her team, Hetty felt Grimes' eyes on her. She knew he was observing her and studying her moves.

"Hetty… so…?" Kensi asked expectantly.

"We have the permission to visit Mr. Deeks, but I was not able to do anything about the handcuffs."

"But Hetty… he's not a criminal, he is…"

"Miss Blye, Max Gentry is a criminal and a very dangerous one." The Operations Manager stopped her before she could go on any further. "Our job is finding out who that man lying in that hospital bed really is and to do so, we have to wait until Mr. Deeks wakes up and tells us his story."

"I don't need him to tell his story… I know who he is and if you think different, well, you probably don't remember who Marty Deeks is! You know I'm right… but for some twisted reason you don't want to accept it!" Kensi was walking away when Nell stopped her.

"Kensi, you know that we trust your judgment and we all want him to be the Deeks we all remember, but it's been a long time. We don't know what he went through and how it affected him, maybe changed him." The petite analyst looked straight at her friend. "Look at me and tell me that you are not speaking only out of guilt, that you want so bad for him to be still the same person you met and fall in love with only because you feel guilty because leaving him might have changed him, turning him into that Max Gentry persona…"

The tall brunette locked her mismatched eyes on her friend's. "It's Deeks, Nell. I simply know he is… I can feel it."

"But is it your heart that's telling you that or your mind?" Sam inquired gravely. He didn't like this situation, but for his team's sake and friends' sake, he needed to keep his mind clear and open to every possibility.

"It doesn't matter, Sam, because I know the man lying in that bed is Deeks. You might not believe me, but I know what I'm talking about." She walked backwards for a few steps then she turned around and rushed through the doors that led her to the ICU area.

"Hetty, what if he is really Max Gentry?" Callen asked the question no one wanted to formulate.

"One thing at time, Mr. Callen. Let's wait until Mr. Deeks wakes up."

"And what can we do in the meantime?" The team leader insisted.

Hetty gave him a bitter smile, before whispering. "Lets' pray, Mr. Callen. Just pray."


	21. Chapter 21

A big thanks to you all for reading this story and for continuous support. It really means a lot to me.

And as always a bigger thank you to purecraziness for her priceless help.

* * *

Chapter 21

She had been sitting in the same chair, in the same position, for hours, unable to move, afraid that if she did, she'd wake up from a dream and figure out this never happened.

Kensi almost couldn't believe that she was here, holding Deeks' hand and once in a while, stroking his hair. She closed her eyes and memories of their last meeting came to her mind and she felt the same pain in her heart, like it was happening right now. It still hurt.

She had moved on with her life, first in Paris, then with Jack back in the US, and then once again alone after he left her. Until a few hours ago she was happy with what she had, with her enlarged family at NCIS, but right now, she felt that she wanted more. Just a look at the still form in the bed and she knew what she wanted.

The arrival of a nurse, checking on Deeks' vitals, brought her back to the mere reality. Her gaze moved to the handcuffs securing his right hand to the bed and her heart knotted.

"Who are you Deeks? What happened to you these past few years?" She was aware that she was being selfish, but one last question, instinctively left her mouth. "Why didn't you look for me?" She whispered in a way that only she could hear her own words.

"He seems more alert," the nurse told her, almost out of nowhere. "And his vitals are getting stronger."

"What does it mean? Is it a good sign?" Kensi asked, straightening up and finding a more comfortable position on the chair.

"It means that he's going to wake up soon, sooner than even the doctors expected. Your friend is a real fighter." The nurse added, smiling. She didn't make any comments about the handcuffs or ask any questions. She placed a hand on the NCIS agent's shoulder and then left, closing the door behind her back.

"Did you hear that Deeks? You're getting better. It's time to wake up… come on, open your eyes. Do it for me." Kensi didn't even realize that she was almost begging him. God, she couldn't believe how much she had missed him. Sincerely, she hadn't thought about him in a long time, but the moment her eyes had crossed his in that alley, all the memories, all the feelings and the sensations she had kept buried inside of her for so many years, engulfed her, literally overwhelming her.

Jack had been a very important part of her life. She had loved him, but what she had with him lacked the connection that Deeks and she had even for a short period of time. There was something special between them, something that had assaulted her the precise moment she had put a foot in that alley. Now she understood the weird feeling that had accompanied her the whole day. It was some sort of premonition; she had probably felt like the dogs right before an earthquake.

Her hand tentatively moved towards his face while shaking a little and caressed it, moving then slowly up to his hair. Her fingers massaged his scalp, running through his blond hair. It was a pleasuring sensation that sent shivers down her spine, like an electrical discharge was running through her body.

"I am here, Deeks, here for you. I'm waiting… waiting for you to open your eyes and come back to me. I… I missed you so much. God, I hadn't realized how much until the moment I saw you today. I thought I was dreaming… that my eyes were playing with me, but it was real. You are real…" A lonely tear rolled down her cheek and her throat clenched.

Kensi closed her eyes, wiping away the tear, missing the moment in which Deeks' fingers twitched and soon he started to stir.

"Am I dead?" A weak voice filled the air. "'Cause… I feel like… I should be dead…" Deeks groaned, grunting in pain as he attempted to move.

She jumped on her feet, moving closer to him. "Hey…" She didn't know exactly what she could tell him. It had been so long and he had almost bled to death on her lap, after saving her life. "You're not allowed to die after saving my life before I thanked you." What? What the hell was she thinking? What kind of conversation was this? "I'm…"

"Do… do I know you?" He tried once again to shift in bed, but the handcuffs securing his wrist first and the wave of pain coursing through his chest then, prevented him from moving too much.

Kensi was a bit disappointed that he was not remembering her. "Deeks? It's…"

"You are… not my nurse?" Deeks cried out when another fit of agony took his breath away.

"I… I am serious, Deeks. Don't you remember anything?" She was starting to panic now, scared that the blood loss and the respiratory arrest had affected his brain and his memory, something she truly couldn't face.

"My… name is… Deeks? Really?" He asked, closing his eyes, swallowing hard.

Kensi was walking away, to call the nurse, but she felt a hand grabbing her wrist. She looked down and saw his blue eyes staring intently at her with a familiar sparkle lighting them up.

"I… I was just kidding. I… I… remember you Fern…" He smiled and it was the same old smile that she remembered. The same smile that usually melted her heart.

"It's… it's really you…" She barely whispered, fighting the tears that were already signing her face. "Deeks…"

He lost himself in her mismatched eyes, lingering on them just a little while longer than expected, but then, his expression changed, darkened and he turned his face away. "My name is Max…"

The NCIS agent held his chin and forced him to face her, to lock his gaze on hers. "No, you're Marty Deeks."

Deeks didn't know how he could stop staring at her, she was even more beautiful that he remembered, more beautiful than her fifteen year old version that had filled his dreams during the past fifteen years. "And what are you, Kensi? A Fed? FBI?" His eyes landed on the handcuffs around his wrist as he tried to appear confident.

Kensi shook her head, bowing it, a bit confused and disappointed by his behavior. It was like he was trying to force her to not like him, like he was playing a part, pretending he was something else, but she could see his façade. Unfortunately for him, she could still read his eyes. "No, no FBI." She could swear she had seen him sigh in relief. "NCIS."

Silence fell between them as he tried to collect himself. He was in pain, but didn't want to show it. He was Max Gentry, notorious scumbag and son of a bitch, scared of nothing and didn't care about anything or anyone.

"You saved my life." She suddenly told him, opening her heart to him, her voice almost cracking. "Thank you."

The blond man was shocked by her admission; unconsciously he lifted his hand to reach for hers when realization hit him. "MONTY!" He tried to put himself into a sitting position, to remove the IV and the electrodes on his chest monitoring his heartbeat. "Where's Monty? I… I need to go to get my dog…"

"Deeks, Deeks calm down, please!" Kensi was trying in every way to calm him down, but in vain.

He was literally moving on adrenaline and desperation.

Kensi was shocked to see the fear in his eyes, the sense of loss and abandonment. All of them because of his dog. "Deeks, your dog is fine. They took him to a shelter, but he's fine. You have my word."

"But I need to go to him… I need to see him…" Deeks was crying like a baby, eaten by the worry. He looked so lost, so lonely.

"What happened to you? What happened to reduce you to this state?" She murmured her question as she tried to hug him, to stop him from hurting himself.

"I… I have to… go… please… please… let me go…" Deeks' breath became erratic and he brought his free hand to his chest to fight the pain.

"No, no, no…. Deeks, no…." Kensi pressed the call button and, in a blink of an eye, the room was crowded with doctors and nurses rushing at his side. "He was talking, then he became agitated and…"

"Please, you need to step outside." One of the nurses told her, pushing her towards the door. "Let us take care of him."

"But I can't leave him, I need to stay here with him. He needs me…. Deeks!"

"I'm sorry but it's better if you leave now." The nurse insisted, managing to guide Kensi outside the room. "It's ok, we're going to take care of him… I will update you as soon as we have stabilized him, ok?"

The NCIS agent nodded, bracing herself. "Ok…" She held the nurse's wrist before she could leave. "Is he going to be ok? Please, don't let him die…"

"Don't worry, your friend is in capable hands. He will be fine." And then she disappeared back in the room.

Kensi followed her until she could. "He will be fine. Deeks will be fine," she repeated in her mind, trying to convince herself. "Please God, let him be ok. Give me just one more chance. Please…"

* * *

"He's resting now." The nurse told Kensi before leaving.

The NCIS agent could finally sigh in relief. Deeks had given her quite a scare, but the doctors managed to stabilize him and sedate him, so he could rest and recover peacefully.

"Kensi, what happened? We received your message!" Sam asked, placing his hand behind her back, supporting her. His friend seemed on the edge of falling apart, but was trying to keep herself together.

"We came as soon as we could. We were checking the club along with some nosy FBI guys, while Eric and Nell are in Ops re-watching the tape-recording and… looking for information about Deeks or Max…" Callen wanted to give her good news, but they had nothing so far.

Kensi sat heavily in a plastic chair, passing a hand through her hair. Then she rested her forearms on her legs, nervously entangling her fingers. "He woke up and…" She knew that her teammates were expectantly waiting for her words, but she found it hard to talk. She still had Deeks' terrified expression when he didn't know about his dog's fate stuck in her mind. "Something happened to him, something really bad."

"Well, what about being in league with a mob boss, being shot and almost bleeding to death? I think we can count those as something bad!" Sam remarked ironically, sitting next to her and holding her hand.

Her reaction was not the one her friends expected though. She got up and started pacing, her eyes narrowed angrily. "I am not joking, Sam! Something really bad happened to him. You haven't seen him… he was… scared, literally terrified because he didn't know about his dog's fate. He wanted to get up and leave only to see him…" She looked at her teammates and her expression softened. She looked like a child. "He called him Monty…"

Silence fell in the air while the two senior agents stared at their friend, trying to read her.

"Maybe it was a reaction to the meds the docs are giving him, maybe…" Callen started but was immediately interrupted.

"No, it wasn't like that. He woke up and he joked, being the same Deeks we knew, then he changed, first he became another person, this… Max persona. It was like he wanted to push me away, but as soon as he remembered his dog, he… freaked out. He was lost, scared, worried… I saw him like this once before and I still shiver remembering that moment." Kensi sank in the chair, passing her hands through her hair and allowing them to stop on the back of her neck. "What the hell happened to him? Who is this Max Gentry? And what did he do to Deeks?"

The two senior agents exchanged a grave look. Sam bit his lip, looking at the ceiling first and then closing his eyes. Called buried his face in his hands and then sat next to her.

"Kensi, maybe the Marty Deeks we knew is gone… you heard what Nell and Eric found about this Max Gentry, you heard what he does for living… He is a criminal, with a record a mile long, who worked for the worst scumbags of the whole city, who did a lot of bad things…"

"He saved my life, Callen! He saved my freaking life; doesn't this mean anything to you? And he ended up in that damn bed because of this. If he really was this Max Gentry, he wouldn't have done that… he would have let Harris kill me."

"Kensi, you don't know that… ok, he saved your life, but it doesn't mean that he is good. Maybe he simply remembered you and couldn't pull the trigger, but what if it wasn't you in front of him? Would he have saved another person like he did with you?" It pained Callen to say these words because he wanted to believe that the man lying in the hospital bed was the same boy they all knew, but all the evidence was against it. All the evidence said something different.

"No… no… I saw his eyes; I… know it's him. I know him, G. I can still read him and I know what I saw in his eyes." She protested, bracing herself. Suddenly she felt lonely, because she felt like her friends, the same friends she trusted with her own life, didn't trust her and her judgment.

"Kensi, maybe you wanted this to be real, you wanted him to be real, to be the same guy you fell for a long time ago, and it's causing you to not think straight, to not see things clearly." The ex-Seal told her, trying once again to reach her, but she retreated again from his touch. "Kensi, we don't know what happened to him in the past fifteen years, we don't know what he went through… You saw it yourself. Life can change people… and he might be changed as well. And not in a good way."

"No… no… NO! Damn it, why don't you want to listen to me? There's something that we don't get it here…"

"You are right, Agent Blye." A deep voice forced her to turn around and meet face to face with Agent Brody Grimes. "There's something you don't get it here and it's that the man in that room is dangerous." He took out a yellow folder and handed it to her. "This is what I am talking about. I wouldn't be here if he wasn't and he worked for a lot of even more dangerous criminals that the FBI has been chasing for a long time." He paused, smiling pleased as the female agent's expression changed as she read the file in her hands. "I don't know who you think he is, but Max Gentry is a fucking son of a bitch and now that we have him in custody the world can only be happy! One less bastard around…"

Kensi was in shock. She was reading the file and she couldn't believe a word she was reading. It was impossible… Deeks couldn't do any of those things. "This is impossible. Deeks is not…"

"See? This is your problem, Agent Blye. That man is not this Deeks guy you think you know. That guy's name is Max Gentry and I can't wait to put him behind bars and throw away the key to his cell!" Grimes told her, his grey eyes sparkling with determination and anger.

"Why are you so mad at him? What's the part of the story you're not telling us about?" Callen intervened, noticing that there was something more behind the FBI agent's behavior, behind his hate towards Deeks.

Grimes' face darkened and it was clear that he was struggling to keep his emotions at bay. His fists clenched and his knuckled whitened. "Well two years ago, Max Gentry was working for a man named Reynaldo Ochoa who was responsible for a series of violent robberies at several federal buildings. In the process, Ochoa didn't mind using his gun, killing people just for fun."

The three NCIS agents fell silent, listening intently to the man talk. They could feel that there was much more to this and they were getting to the point.

"One day, he attacked a small federal office in downtown Los Angeles. It was a small office, with not-so-great surveillance and security because they usually worked on bureaucratic issues, nothing tactical or of strategically importance, but that day… that day they had some relevant papers in their hands… I don't know how Ochoa managed to find out about it, but he attacked the office along with his bunch of associates. Gentry was one of them. They went inside the office, stole the papers and then got away… leaving two dead bodies behind and three people wounded." Brody's body vibrated as he told the story with an edginess in his voice that put the NCIS agents on alert. "We managed to find the bastard though and kill him before he could do any more damage, before he could kill other innocent people. Two of his buddies are in jail, another one is dead… but that little sneaky son of a bitch Gentry miraculously got away."

"I… I am sorry." Sam was the first one who was able to say something.

"You're… sorry? You don't even know anything about being sorry! My daughter, Carol, and her husband, Ted, worked there, in that freaking office; now Ted is dead and Carol is like a vegetable, paralyzed from the neck down… she lost the baby she was expecting…" Grimes' voice cracked down and for a moment he lost his composure. His eyes watered and tears rolled down his cheeks. "Do you have any idea about what I've been through since that day? Do you have the slightest idea about what those bastards did to my family and me?"

Kensi was speechless. Her mind was a turmoil of emotions and images. She couldn't believe that Deeks, her Deeks, had anything to do with this terrible incident. There must be a mistake… it couldn't be possible.

"Agent Grimes, I am sure there is a valid explanation that…" Callen tried to speak, but the FBI agent didn't allow it.

"I don't give a damn about an explanation!" Brody snapped; his grey eyes were suddenly cold as ice and full of pure rage. The moment of weakness was gone. "Now, step out of my way, I have a prisoner to interrogate." Without waiting any further, he moved Sam aside and passed by Callen and Kensi, walking towards Deeks' room.

The three NCIS agents didn't know what to do. They were still in shock from what they heard and sadly, they knew that this was an FBI case, that Max Gentry was an FBI case. They didn't have any jurisdiction.

"Agent Grimes, wait… please!" Kensi called to him, waiting until he turned around to face her. "He… he just woke up. He's not ready for an interrogation, can you wait until he's a bit stronger?" She knew she was begging him, but she didn't care. All she cared about was Deeks and she had his terrified expression still in her mind. That man who went in shock because of his missing dog was not ready to face a very angry FBI agent's interrogation.

Brody frowned, like he was pondering her words, but then he walked towards her. "Sincerely, Agent Blye, I don't care about his well-being at all. He didn't mind my daughter's or her husband's well-being that day… He behaved like a heartless bastard and he doesn't deserve anything different from me!" His voice was steady even if his whole body was trembling.

Sam and Callen watched him step through the door and disappear into the hospital room.

"We can't allow him to be in there with Deeks alone! You saw his eyes… Grimes is seeking for revenge!" Kensi launched herself towards the door, trying to open it, but she found it locked. "Son of a bitch…" She murmured, looking at her friends. "He locked himself inside!"

The team leader took out his phone and dialed his boss's number. Hetty would know what to do. They had to be very careful because they were dealing with another federal agency.

"What has you so eager to call me, Mr. Callen?" Hetty showed up behind Callen's back, approaching him along with a tall, middle-aged man, wearing a dark brown jacket and a tight jaw. He looked like a tough, gruff man, but his eyes couldn't hide a hint of concern.

"Hetty, Agent Grimes is inside with Deeks… alone and he locked the door!" Kensi told her, unable to hide his anxiety and apprehension.

"Hetty, he told us his story… about Ochoa, about Max Gentry… and his daughter…" Sam updated her, his face grave. "We have to do something… soon."

"Before it's too late," Callen added, studying the man standing next to the diminutive woman.

Hetty cast a glance at her silent companion who looked at her with an even more worried expression. "I know…" She simply said.

The man stood silent for a long minute and then, closed his eyes, nodding. "Yeah…"

The Operations Manager gave him a bitter smile then moved her attention to her men. "Open that door and do it quickly!"

* * *

His head was pounding and his whole body was making itself noticeable, sending waves of pain through every nerve and every muscle. Deeks opened his eyes and started blinking, trying to adjust them to the sudden light.

He felt sore and his throat was dry, feeling like sandpaper.

Marty attempted to move, to shift his position to find a more comfortable one, but found himself unable to move. Memories came to his mind and his gaze landed on the handcuffs securing his wrist to the bed. A bitter grin curled his lips as he groaned, fighting a wave of agony. Why was moving so hard? What happened to him?

Instinctively, his eyes closed again as he tried to collect himself and remember the last events. Images flashed in front of his eyes. Harris, the club, Kensi, the gunshots… Monty… oh gosh, Monty!

Deeks attempted to sit up, but he was unable to move because a weird force was keeping him pinned down. He forced himself to open his eyes again and as he did, he noticed a pair of icy grey orbs staring at him while a pair of strong hands were pushing him against the mattress.

"About time you woke up, you son of a bitch!" A cold voice told him, talking with a venomous tone.

Marty could sense the hatred and the determination coming from that voice and even without knowing to whom it belonged to, he felt cold shivers run down his spine. "Who… who are you?" He asked hoarsely, barely managing to put the words together.

"I am your nightmare, Gentry." The mysterious man insisted, putting even more pressure in his gesture, pinning Deeks down even further.

Pain erupted in the blond man's chest and breathing started to become a bit difficult. He bit his lip, fighting a wave of nausea as he tried to get rid of the strong grip. In vain.

"How are you feeling, Gentry? How do you feel, being so defenseless?" The strong man with grey eyes spoke in a low tone, without inflection, without hesitation.

"Look man, if you… if you're my doc, you're not helping… not at all…" Marty murmured as he talked, hoping to buy himself some time. He was still now, collecting some energy and hoping that the pain in his chest subsided a little. It was getting to an unbearable level and he could feel the blood soaking the bandage around his wounded chest.

The man let him go, laughing out loud. "I have to say, you have a nice sense of humor, Gentry. I like a bastard with some spirit."

"Who the hell are you? And what…" Deeks hissed, holding his chest with his free hand. "…what do you want from me?"

The man's smile disappeared as he sat on the bed next to the blond guy. "My name is Brody Grimes and I am an FBI agent." He started, locking his grey eyes on the other man's blue ones.

"Yeah, right… perfect…" Marty panted, feeling extremely tired, not liking a single bit of the situation he was finding himself in. "I should have… known some of your kind would show up…" His voice was extremely weak, his eyelids heavy as ever. "I… I don't have… anything to tell you. I… I want my lawyer."

Grimes' lips curled into an evil grin as he leaned towards the man lying in the hospital bed. "Nothing to tell me? Did my daughter and son-in-law have anything to tell you before you shot them?"

Deeks was confused. He couldn't understand what this man was talking about. His stomach was turned upside down and the bile was rising through his throat in dry heaves. His mind was struggling to focus. Even listening to the FBI agent was hard. "I… don't know… what you're talking… about…"

Brody placed his big hand on Marty's chest, putting a gentle pressure on it. "Does the name Reynaldo Ochoa ring any bells? Does Kershaw Street ring any bells in that thick fucking head of yours?"

Deeks tried to wriggle from the man's vice, but it was impossible. Agony was spreading from his chest through the rest of his body, making it hard to breathe. "I… didn't… I didn't do anything…" He barely whispered as memories filled his mind and his stomach knotted, making him sick.

"LIAR!" Grimes yelled angrily, applying more pressure in his hand, which had become a clenched fist. "You're a fucking liar!"

"Aarrgghh!" Marty cried out as the fist dug into his wound. "Son of a…" He struggled, but the more he did, the more intense the pain became.

"You were there with Ochoa and his goons. You were there while my son-in-law died in front of my daughter's eyes!" Brody's eyes had lost their humanity. They were filled with hate and the thirst of revenge. "You and your buddies shot my daughter and left her there, bleeding… you left her to die while the baby inside of her died slowly too. You are a monster Gentry, a fucking monster!" Consumed by his rage, he got up, using the entire weight of his body to increase the pressure in his gesture. His fist twirled as it was sinking in Deeks' wound, which was now bleeding profusely. With a quick move, the FBI agent silenced the heart monitor so no one could hear it from the outside. "You and your buddies destroyed her life, ruined mine… you don't deserve anything other than pain and a slow death."

Marty's vision blurred and everything was getting foggier and foggier as the pain became unbearable. His free hand tried to get rid of the man's larger one, but he was too worn out and the agony was too intense. "I… I didn't…" The pressure on his wound increased again, with violence, and he could only scream until his voice died in his throat. Tears formed in his eyes while his heart beat madly in his chest, almost exploding.

"Shut up, you little piece of shit… just shut up!" Grimes was literally losing it. His mind was just focused on hurting the other man, blinded by images of his daughter, stuck in the wheelchair, living like a vegetable. "They didn't deserve that… they had a life to live, a happy one. You ruined it… you destroyed it and you even forgot about it!"

The pain was simply excruciating. Deeks knew that he was on the edge of passing out and if he did that, it would probably be the last thing he would do on this Earth because Grimes was not going to give him a chance to wake up again. "Pl… please…" He begged, moaning almost incomprehensibly. White stars danced in front of his eyes and his body started trembling, his back arched in one last attempt to get himself free, to escape the agony that was draining him of every bit of energy.

The FBI agent became even madder when he heard the younger man's plead. "Did Carol beg you? Did she plea for her baby's life? She was going to be a mother… and you showed her no mercy… why do I have to show mercy to you? You deserve nothing!"

The pressure on his bullet wound increased. Brody's fisted hand was pushed deeper and deeper, twisting and twirling to cause more damage and more pain. Marty fought to breathe while his body was failing him, shutting down, unable to bear the agony anymore. It was too much, simply too much. His mouth moved without emitting a coherent sound, only a few moans escaping from it. His blue eyes blinked repeatedly as images slid slowly in front of him… taking him back to a long, long time ago. Tears rolled down his cheeks. It was over… it was really over. His mind took him back to high school when, for a brief period of time, he was happy.

His blue eyes rolled back… and right when blackness was engulfing him, in the distance, he heard a commotion, voices screaming and yelling.

"Brody, stop!"

"No! He needs to pay!"

"Stop, you're killing him!"

"Enough!"

"Deeks… Deeks…"

Marty recognized the voice and using one last bit of strength, he forced himself to look at the source of it. "Ke… Ken…si…" He barely murmured.

"I'm here, Deeks, I'm here for you. It's over…" She told him, cupping his face, trying to keep him awake.

"Let me go! Let go of me, you fucking idiots!" Brody was screaming, fighting Callen and Sam's strong grip.

"No way." The ex-Seal was holding the FBI agent's arms behind his back while Callen was trying to secure his hands with zip-ties.

"Mr. Callen, no, they are not necessary." The diminutive woman told her agent.

"But Hetty, he is…"

"I said it's not necessary, Mr. Callen. Isn't that right, Brody?"

"Henrietta, tell your men to let me go. I need to make him pay… I need to make the son of a bitch pay for what he did!" Grimes was still struggling but his attempts were getting weaker.

"No, you're not going to… you are not going to hurt him anymore." Hetty spoke calmly and her approach was unexpectedly working because the man was calming down.

"But he destroyed my life… my daughter's…" Brody's legs failed him but he didn't fall to the ground only because of Sam's strong grip.

"He didn't do anything, Brody. He was there, but he never killed anyone… on the contrary, he tried to save people."

At Hetty's words, everyone froze, like she was speaking in an alien language.

"Hetty, what the hell are you talking about? Do you mind stop talking in riddles?" Callen narrowed his eyes as he watched a nurse and a doctor rush into the room and moving around Deeks.

"What your boss wanted to tell you, Agent Callen," The mysterious man, whom had silently accompanied Hetty until now, opened his mouth for the first time. His eyes moved from the NCIS agents to the struggling man in bed. "…is that this man never wanted to hurt anyone, because he is one of mine, one of my men."

"And who the hell are you?" Agent Grimes muttered, regaining a bit of lucidity.

"I'm Lieutenant Roger Bates, LAPD… and please meet Detective Marty Deeks…"


	22. Chapter 22

Thank you all for reading this story and for the continuous support. I deeply appreciate it.

And as always, I can't forget to thank purecraziness for her priceless help.

* * *

Chapter 22

"I can't believe it. You are just fooling with me!" Agent Grimes shouted as he was pushed out of Deeks' room while the doctors were checking on him. "He's not a damn cop. He is a murderer!"

"Oh shut up, Grimes! You heard the man." Callen was trying to contain his rage against the FBI agent and he could see that even his partner was on the edge of exploding.

"I don't give a damn about what the man said. I know what that son of a bitch did!" Brody was still talking when a vicious kick reached his groin and sent him to the floor, grunting and moaning in pain.

"His name is Marty Deeks and he's not a killer!" Kensi leaned towards the big man after hitting him. Her whole body was trembling in a mix of fury and shock. She still hadn't processed the words Lieutenant Bates had told them, but mostly she was mad at the FBI agent for the treatment he had reserved to Deeks, aggravating his already poor physical condition. Her hands clenched in tight fists as she tried with a great effort to control herself.

"Ouch…" Sam said, sympathizing for the man struggling on the ground but at the same time enjoying the moment. Grimes' behavior called for this. When they finally managed to force their way into Deeks' room, he had felt a burning rage running through his veins when he saw the big FBI agent literally torturing his friend.

"Miss Blye, enough please." Hetty intervened; attempting to ease the situation even if she couldn't hide the fact that she would have done exactly the same thing Miss Blye did, maybe even worse, if she had been in her agent's shoes. "No one is fooling around with you, Brody," she added, helping Grimes to his feet and guiding him towards a chair.

Silence fell in the air, everyone lost in their own thoughts. It was Callen who was the first to talk, asking the question everyone was dreading to ask.

"Is Deeks really a cop?" The team leader looked for Bates' eyes, waiting for his explanation.

"Yes, he really is. And he's been for a while." The lieutenant put his hands in his pockets, sighing heavily.

"But… how… he… was there, with Ochoa when… when…" Grimes was still trying to find the right words, fighting the throbbing pain in his groin.

"And trust me, he still regrets it and probably has nightmares about it." Bates knew that these people deserved an explanation, but it was not easy to tell them everything without revealing secrets that were best to be kept hidden. "Deeks has been undercover as Max Gentry for the past eleven months. He infiltrated Harris' organization and allowed us to find some valuable information during his time with them. He gained Harris' trust, becoming his right hand man. It's what he does and trust me, he's damn good at his job, probably the best undercover cop I have ever worked with."

Kensi felt a rush of pride running through her veins. She knew that Deeks, the Deeks she fell for, couldn't be a bad guy, but she didn't expect this. A pleased smile curled his lips.

"We were very close to taking his whole business down when you stepped in… almost ruining everything." The lieutenant continued, casting a scolding glance at Hetty. "Fortunately, Harris is dead and he won't do any harm to anyone anymore. You ran a big risk…"

"We're sorry, Lieutenant Bates. As I already explained to you, we were running a delicate investigation involving a marine. If we knew, we would have contacted you." The Operations Manager said, nodding gravely.

"And meeting Deeks there was the last thing we expected." Callen added.

"Yes… and you almost got him killed!" Bates' voice rose, unable to hide his tension anymore. It had been a difficult period for him, with his own boss putting a lot of pressure on him and on his department to get information and results.

"This is something we would have avoided gladly, Lieutenant Bates, I can assure you." Hetty tilted her head and the little gesture told the cop that there was more behind the appearance, that she was not telling him the entire truth.

"What's the story?" Bates asked curiously, his eyes narrowing mischievously. "I know there's something you are not telling me."

The NCIS agents exchanged a wary gaze with their boss, until finally Sam spoke.

"We… we knew Deeks, a long time ago. We attended the same high school, until one day we went separate ways and lost contact with one another." The ex-Seal omitted the part about Deeks being sent to juvie since he didn't know how much Bates was aware of his man's past.

"That's interesting…" The old cop murmured as his lips curled into a light smile.

"This is so amazing… but doesn't change the fact that your cop was with Reynaldo Ochoa and was there when my son-in-law was killed and my daughter was wounded." Grimes' face had regained a bit of color and now he was sitting on the chair without anyone's support.

"We created Max Gentry's alias five years ago. We needed someone who could be recognized in the underground world, someone who could have a name that allowed Deeks to move from boss to boss without suspicion. Let me tell you that all of this wouldn't be possible without Deeks' skill. The kid is great, he simply can be whoever he wants and he can switch from a guy to another in a twitch."

Callen listened to Bates' words, nodding in admiration. He had always been considered a great undercover operative so he could understand exactly what the cop was telling him, understanding exactly what kind of life Deeks had been living. Short undercover operations were stressful; they could eat you day after day. Long undercover operations, like those Deeks did, were consuming. They sucked the life out of you and at one point you might lose yourself in your alias. It took a lot of strength to not be destroyed or to not lose your identity, become your alias. Callen had heard of a lot of operatives who had gone rogue because they hadn't been able to disconnect from their aliases, becoming the bad guys they pretended to be. Doing this on a daily basis might be lethal and detrimental, but from what he had seen, Deeks had done a remarkable job.

"When we decided to take Ochoa's organization apart, Deeks was the obvious choice. Max Gentry already had a name and people respected him…" Bates paused, bowing his head. "Agent Grimes, I assure you, Deeks had to do a lot of bad things while undercover, things he probably regrets more than he wants to admit, but he didn't hurt your son-in-law or your daughter."

There was a sad note in the cop's voice, something that knotted Kensi's stomach. She had some experience in short undercover operations, but she never did long ones. She couldn't imagine pretending to be someone else, twenty-four hours a day, for months, fearing that one single word spoken in the wrong moment or a wrong move could cost your life. Suddenly, she felt a sense of loneliness pervading her, the same loneliness Deeks might have felt every day, knowing that he couldn't trust anyone, that he could count only on himself, on his instinct and probably quick mind. "How… how is he holding up? It can't be easy on him… I mean, being someone else, for so long…"

Bates smiled at her, nodding, feeling that there was a different connection between the female agent and his man. He narrowed his eyes, studying her. He didn't say anything, but just a quick stare at her, made him realize her secret. Her expression told him, betraying her true sentiments. "It's not always easy, as you can imagine. After this operation he was supposed to take a break, to decompress, but you don't really know for how long. His alias' expertise might be needed and requested specifically by some creepy bad guy."

"Well, we can allow Mr. Deeks a long rest this time. Everyone is aware that Max Gentry was badly wounded during a shootout with the cops… his recovery might take a long, long time." Hetty suggested, but it sounded more like an implicit order.

"We can allow that, but first we need FBI to step back. We have to allow Max Gentry to escape and disappear for a while." Bates looked for Grimes' eyes.

"Brody?" The Operations Manager called for the FBI agent, waiting for his next move.

"So, is this it? Is it over?" The FBI agent asked with a lost voice and an even more lost expression. "I dedicated the last two years of my life to catching him and now, you tell me that it's over? That I have to stop because he is a freaking cop?"

"You better reason with this, because that freaking cop could press charges against you for the number you played on him back there and end your career." Callen told him. His face was serious, without any trace of irony. He didn't know if he could forgive Grimes for what he did to Deeks.

"Mr. Callen is right, Brody." Hetty sat next to the man, placing a hand on his forearm. "We've been friends for a long time, you've always trusted me. Trust me on this one, too."

"Out of all the people in this fucking world, he would have to be one of your boys… Just my usual luck" Grimes muttered, shaking his head.

The comment wasn't missed by the NCIS agents who exchanged a questioning glance, searching for their Operations Manager's eyes, silently looking for answers.

Hetty didn't even look at them though and continued what she was doing.

"Ok." The FBI agent finally said, allowing everyone to release the breath they were holding.

It was in that moment that the doctor walked out of Deeks' room, a kind smile on his lips.

"Henrietta, your boy in that room is tougher than he looks." Dr. Johnathan DeWitt warmly greeted the diminutive woman. "We had to stop the bleeding and redo his stitches. He lost a good amount of blood again that we are replacing, but he should be ok if nothing like this happens again anytime soon." He cast a scold at the tall FBI agent. "He is very weak and probably won't wake up for the next twelve to eighteen hours, so maybe you can all go home and get some fresh air. You know it helps."

Everyone smiled at the subtle irony. The doctor had a point, they were all tense and on edge. And for sure they all needed a break.

"Thank you, Johnathan. I truly appreciate your work."

"It's my job, Henrietta. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some other patients to visit." The doctor turned on his heels and left.

"Johnathan is right; we all need some fresh air." Hetty stated, moving her attention to all the people gathered around her. "And don't force me make it an order."

Sam patted his partner on his shoulder. "Come on partner, you owe me a drink."

"No, I don't… last time I paid, so it's on you this time!" Callen joked back, finally relieved. It was like a heavy weight had been taken off of his shoulders.

"I have to go back to the precinct and make some adjustments so we can give Max Gentry time to recover." Bates stated, his eyes on Grimes. "Stay away from him, please. I don't know how he might react if he has to see you so soon. And just for the record, he… he was just doing his job. Deeks is the kind of person who doesn't want anyone to get hurt in the process, but sadly he can't avoid it all the times. Trust me… every time something doesn't go as he'd like, he takes it very personally. And he did it even that time… believe me."

The FBI agent nodded, offering his hand to shake. "I… I am sorry, I… just…"

"It's not me you need to apologize to, but I will pass your apology along." The cop shook the offered hand and left.

Grimes passed his fingers through his barely-there hair and turned to leave. "I… I am really sorry, Henrietta… really sorry…" He felt so guilty, but at the same time lighter. He buried his face in his hands and disappeared.

"Hetty, I… I want to stay with Deeks." Kensi said firmly, her expression determined. She didn't care about what the others were doing. She simply couldn't leave him alone.

"Miss Blye, I thought I was clear enough."

"Hetty, I… I've been waiting for this moment for more than fifteen years. I… I lost him once and I…" Words died in the brunette's throat as a mix of different emotions engulfed her.

The Operations Manager smiled kindly, holding her hands. "Stay with him and keep him company." She watched Kensi rush towards Deeks' room, then she started walking away, but Callen stopped her. "Anything I can do for you, Mr. Callen?"

"Hetty… what's this story about Deeks being one of your boys? You knew something and you didn't tell us?" The team leader inquired, frowning.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Mr. Callen. You know I never hide anything from you." Smiling cunningly she walked away, directed to the exit.

"Why don't I believe her…" Callen talked to his partner who was standing next to him.

"Because it's Hetty. That woman is a mystery, and I don't think we will ever find out what she truly knows, so I suggest that we get out of here so you can buy me that drink."

"Again with that? It's on you, Sam. On you!"

Sam smiled amused, then passed his arm around his friend's shoulder and guided him outside. "We will see, G. We will see."

* * *

As Dr. DeWitt predicted, Deeks slept for the following eighteen hours. His abused and weakened body probably needed the rest to finally start healing properly.

A feeble light reached his eyes as they fluttered open. Marty blinked repeatedly, allowing his sleepy blue orbs to adjust to the change of light, while his back arched as he stirred.

A soft moan escaped from his lips because of the pain caused by the sudden movement. His breathing increased but he tried to get some control over his body. Slowly, his muscles and nerves relaxed and he started breathing better.

Once he has calmed down and he was fully awake, he took a moment to study his surroundings.

He was still confined in the hospital bed, and sincerely he didn't even imagine leaving it since he was literally exhausted, but at least he was no longer cuffed to it and his hands were both free to move.

The curtain at the window was slightly open and the feeble light of early morning filtered through it, kissing his tired face. For a moment he stopped himself to imagine himself outside, on the beach, inhaling the salty air as he waited for the perfect wave to ride with his surfboard under his arm. How long had it been since he had been at the beach? He didn't even remember the last time it had happened. The last few months were just a blur, a mix of incoherent images and darkness, but deep inside he could feel the gnawing sensation, the consuming fear that had accompanied him day after day.

Max… he was still Max. Max, someone he hated so much, but that lived inside of him, that lived through him. He wanted so badly to get rid of him, to kill this persona who had become more than an alias, who was more like his alter ego, just a different shade of the man he really was. Max was now a part of him that even if he wanted, he couldn't shake off.

His hands started trembling, as he felt trapped, with no escape, literally overwhelmed by the dark presence inside of him.

Scared and confused, he tried to sit up and other memories came to his mind, memories of someone towering over him and putting physical pressure on his body, preventing him from moving… memories of the pain. Intense, excruciating, agonizing…

Once again, he found himself unable to breathe as he desperately looked for some precious oxygen. He knew he was hyperventilating, but he couldn't do anything against the panic that was taking possession of his whole body, of every muscle, of every limb. His heart was pounding in his chest, in his ears, in his head. _Thump… thump… thump_. It was simply deafening.

He needed to escape, to get away from here… "Please, someone help me," he silently pleaded, unable to allow his mouth to emit a single sound.

His eyes closed in one last attempt to find some air, to fight the intense pain spreading from his wounded chest, but nothing worked. Deeks felt like he was slowly drowning and the more he struggled, the more he went down and the darkness engulfed him, using its long tendrils to pin him down and drag him deeper and deeper.

When he thought that everything was lost, that his soul was lost forever, when he thought that the coldness and darkness had sucked him in, Marty felt a light touch on his hand. A pleasuring sensation slowly warmed him, starting from the outside and then moving to the inside. His breathing became a bit less erratic and his eyes finally focused on a figure standing next to him, calling his name and entangling its fingers with his.

"Deeks… Deeks!" A soft, but urging voice called him again. "Come on, Deeks, calm down, please. It's ok, everything is going to be ok."

"Ke… Kensi?"

Darkness suddenly dissipated and his lost blue eyes met with a pair of mismatched ones, so familiar but so foreign at the same time.

"Yes, it's me, Deeks. It's me…" She told him without letting go of his hand, tightening her grip instead.

He swallowed hard, trying to straighten himself up, wincing from the pain the movement caused to his injury. Deeks wanted to talk, to tell her something, but his throat was so dry and hoarse and words died in it. His eyes closed as he was finding some strength inside of him.

"Hey, no need to talk," she offered him a glass of water with a straw, smiling the same smile he remembered. "Come on, let me help you drink some water." She passed a hand behind his head, supporting it, while the other one was holding the straw, placing it between his lips.

Marty shivered when her fingers made contact with his hair, but it was a nice sensation, something he hadn't felt in ages. He sank back into the pillow, taking a long deep breath. "You… you shouldn't… be here… I am…" He started, but Kensi stopped him, placing a finger on his parched lips.

"Shut up. I know who you are and what you do for living…" Her whole expression softened as she talked, sitting on the bed next to him, careful to not cause him any more discomfort.

"Tell it to… that FBI agent," he hissed when a wave of pain coursed through his entire body and he had to bend down to fight it, a hand clenched around the bandage across his chest.

"Hey, do you need me to call the doc or a nurse?" The brunette knew that he was going to be ok, but this didn't mean that she didn't hate seeing him in so much pain, mostly because she felt responsible for it.

Deeks shook his head, grinding his teeth and finding his way back to the pillow. "No, it's… I'm good."

She was not very convinced but she wanted to give him a chance to collect himself without being ashamed of his moment of understandable weakness. A soft smile brightened her whole face, realizing that he hadn't changed a single bit, always downplaying his injuries or problems mostly for other people's sake. "Ok," she whispered sweetly, tentatively brushing a lock of golden hair away from his forehead.

His blue eyes were locked on hers and for a long, endless minute it was like the world had stopped. She was here, right in front of him, talking to him, like they had never left each other. He couldn't believe how comfortable he was around her, how comfortable they both were. Their connection was still there and was making their entire bodies vibrate in unison. And man, she was beautiful, even more beautiful than he remembered. Kensi was a gorgeous woman and instinctively, he checked her fingers, looking for a wedding band or an engagement ring, relieved when he didn't find either of them.

At the same time, Kensi was studying him and his tired features. He was not the scruffy boy he once was, not anymore. He was a grown man with a face hardened by the life he probably lived but, at the same time, softened by those amazing ocean blue eyes that was staring straight at her right now. More than fifteen years had passed, but for her, nothing had changed. There was still that spark between them, that chemistry they created as soon as they met. It was still there… like they had never went to different paths. She opened her mouth to talk right when he did, causing both of them to laugh out of embarrassment and then blush like two teenagers.

"You first," she said to him, but Deeks simply shook his head.

"No… you…" His voice was still hoarse and talking was still not easy for him, so Kensi offered him some more water, which he gladly accepted.

"Don't worry," she finally told him. "Monty has been taken care. He's not at that shelter anymore."

Marty's eyes brightened up at the simple mention of his dog. "Thank you." He managed to say with a voice that was slowly getting steadier.

"Oh, don't thank me. It's all Eric and Nell's doing." She pointed out, placing the water back on the bedside table.

He frowned, surprised to hear another two familiar names. "What…"

Kensi laughed at his perplexed and confused expression. "Sorry, but your face was just so cute."

"So, am I cute?" He murmured, flashing one of those infamous grins she had missed so much.

She didn't want to, but she blushed. Actually, she didn't find him just cute, she thought he was hot, so damn hot, even lying in this hospital bed, pale as ever and hooked to medical equipment. "You know I could punch you in your bullet hole."

"Well, this sounds vaguely dirty, Kensalina…" He was almost surprised by the familiarity of their banter, even after so many years. He was still smirking when his expression became serious. "So, what's the story?" He asked while his fingers looked for hers. "I was probably very… off because I think I saw Principal Hetty Lange in this room, standing next to my boss… I bet it was a nightmare."

Kensi didn't know where to start. The whole story would have sounded incredible even to her own ears if she didn't know it was true. "It was not a nightmare. Hetty was here and she actually is mine, Callen, Sam, Eric, and Nell's boss at NCIS." She waited for his reaction but it didn't come, probably because he was in shock. "Wow, I left you speechless, I think that's a first." She joked, allowing him to collect himself.

"I think, I have every right to be… speechless. Come on, my old principal is an NCIS agent… jeeze…"

"Don't let her hear you talking like this." The brunette continued gingerly playing with his fingers. "When I came back from France I wanted to join the Marine Corps, to follow in my father's steps. I passed the first courses and right before my graduation, Hetty approached me. She told me that her job at school had always been a cover so she could look for potential agents." She explained to him every detail, telling him about her first days on the team, about the good feeling to have her friends steadily back in her life, and about her job. It was so easy talking to him. The only thing she didn't tell him about was Jack. It was not the right moment and it was something she didn't like to share.

"I… I am happy to see you so happy and surrounded by people you care about and who care for you." Deeks' voice couldn't hide a bit of sadness that he tried to hide with a smile. "You… look happy." He knew he was babbling, but he couldn't help himself.

"And now that I found you, I am ever happier." She managed to whisper, bowing her head, a bit ashamed. She felt stupid, like a teenager in a full hormonal storm. What the hell was happening to her? She was a trained federal agent for God's sake. "What… what happened to you?" She blurted out to hide her inner emotions.

His expression darkened as he attempted to find a more comfortable position in bed, wincing as he moved.

Kensi could see that he was struggling so she got the courage and placed the palm of her hand on his cheek, shocked when he leaned against it, finding comfort in the gesture. "Hey, it's ok… if you don't feel like talking, I can wait."

"When… when you left…" His voice was barely a whisper and had lost of its certainty. "I felt so broken. It was like a part of me didn't exist anymore. And I lost it, I lost it completely. I did a lot of stupid things; I caused some brawls, I destroyed my cell, and I spent so many days in isolation that the director was forced to move me to another facility, a stricter one."

A new wave of guilt engulfed her. "I… I am so sorry." Tears formed in her eyes but he wiped them away with his thumb.

"It was not your fault, Kens. I never blamed you, but I felt lonely. Again, I felt like no one cared about me, so I stopped caring myself." Marty took a long deep breath, closing his eyes before continuing. He was ashamed of himself and of that dark period of his life and couldn't bear to look at her, afraid of seeing pity in her eyes. "The new place was awful, it was full of rough kids, older than me who treated me like shit… I… it was hard. The shrink over there told me that I was on the verge of depression, but never did anything to help me. He just left me there, facing those guys. When my time was over, I… went to Nell's place to get Monty and then I tried to disappear because I didn't want to end up in the system again. My previous experience was far from stellar…"

Kensi shivered, remembering Madalina Francis and her hell of a place.

"I lived on the streets, finding food here and there, committing some small crimes, using my skills at picking locks and pick pocketing. It was not easy but… but I was free, so I didn't mind it too much." His expression was lost, like he was reliving those moments. "One day though, I tried to steal the wallet of a wrong person. Without realizing it, I tried to rob a cop. It could have been the worst thing that had ever happened to me, but instead it was the event that changed my life. For good. The cop remembered me, he was the same cop who took care of me in jail that night when Ray and I sneaked into Zubileta's warehouse. He offered me a chance… he took me with him until I was old enough to make my own choices without ending up in foster care. Tommy Donovan helped me graduate from high school and go to college. I… I even managed to get a law degree, making up for the lost time, studying hard and finishing college at the same time as the other guys my age, even if I started later. I wanted to make a difference and help kids like me to have a better life… and I… was doing a good job…"

Kensi noticed how his voice was cracking and how he was starting to shiver, but she couldn't understand the reason. "A lawyer? Wow, I knew you could make it, Deeks. I didn't tutor you so you could end up being a criminal." She tried to joke, but she couldn't make him smile. "So what happened then, how did you become a cop?"

His blue eyes watered and he had to wipe away a tear before continuing. "Tommy was killed during a robbery… I… my world crumbled down around me. He was, and still is, such an important person to me, without him I don't know where I would be right now, I probably would already be dead. I realized that what I was doing was not enough, that I wanted to stop the criminals before they could hurt people, so becoming a cop was the obvious solution. As soon as I got out of the academy, I started doing my patrol, but Bates was keeping an eye on me. Tommy was one of his best friends… so he took me with him and I became who I am right now…"

"Oh God, I am so sorry Deeks, if I knew I would… I…" She didn't know what to say. She felt just sad for him, for the life he had been forced to live. "But you're here now… and you're here with me."

He lifted his head to look at her with those blue eyes she couldn't resist. There was so much sorrow in them, so much pain, that her heart melted. "But who am I, Kens? Sometimes I don't even know who I am anymore. When I wake up, I barely remember where I am and what I am doing… I…" His trembling increased and he had to take long, deep breaths to calm himself down.

"Look at me, Deeks." Kensi cupped his face and forced him to stare straight at her. "You know who you are. You are Marty Deeks, one of the most wonderful men I have ever met, the only person in this whole planet who was able to make me laugh and cry at the same time. A boy who was ready to sacrifice himself to save other kids. A man who is willing to live another man's life only to keep people safe." She paused, moving a bit closer to him. Her lips were so close to his that she could breathe his breath and smell his scent. "You're Marty Deeks, the only man that truly stole my heart." Without waiting for a reply, she placed her lips on his and kissed him deeply. It was an irrational act, something she hadn't planned and something she didn't even imagine to have in her. For the first time in a long, long time, she had followed her heart and her heart only. And it had felt good, more than good actually.

Deeks was engulfed by a turmoil of overwhelming emotions. Everything around him disappeared; only one thing existed and was right in front of him, kissing him. Kensi. He closed his eyes and kissed her back and for the first time in ages, he felt happy and whole. For the first time in a long time, he felt alive.


	23. Chapter 23

Once again, I may sound like a broken record, but thank you all for reading this story and for your support. I deeply appreciate it.

And obviously I can't forget to thank purecraziness for her help.

* * *

Chapter 23

Days passed and Deeks' conditions improved quickly, quicker than the doctor imagined.

Kensi spent as much time as she could with him, but obviously she had work to do and she had to go home to shower and feed herself.

After that first kiss they shared, they tried to get back in their old rhythm, without rushing things between them though. There were still so many things they needed to discuss, a lot of catching up to do to make up for more than the fifteen years they lived in the same city, oblivious of each other's presence. They were determined to work on their thing, but they were both aware that they were not the boy and the girl of their high school days. A lot had happened to them, making them the people they were right now, but they sensed that the fire, the attraction, and the feelings were still there and they were something they could start from if they wanted a chance for a future together.

It was a beautiful morning, with a warm sun that shone above the City of Angels and a light breeze that lashed on people faces, refreshing them and making the day move livable. Kensi had to work on a lead for their actual case, tagging along with Nell for once, so she had asked Sam and Callen to check on Deeks on their way to the office.

The two NCIS agents arrived at the hospital and stopped at the cafeteria to pick up a coffee for their friend, a cheerful smile on their faces. The moment they stepped into the cop's room, the smile disappeared. It was empty.

Callen rushed outside, looking for one of the nurses they got acquainted with throughout Deeks' stay at the hospital; he tried to not panic, but his heart was pounding in his chest.

"Excuse me, we're looking for our friend, Detective Deeks… we went to his room but found it empty." He asked to Nurse Kelly, a tiny blonde woman with a rounded, kind face.

"Oh, I… I thought you knew. He was released early this morning. He asked us to call him a taxi." She explained, looking at the two men's worried expressions. "And I suppose he didn't tell you…"

"Do you have any idea of where he went? Did he say anything?" Sam bit his lip nervously, fighting his concern.

"We asked him if he needed something, but he simply told us that he was going to visit an old friend." The nurse could imagine what these men were going through. She had seen how much they cared for the blond detective, even if among them there wasn't the familiarity she had seen between the cop and the beautiful brunette. "I… I am sorry, I wish I could help you."

"No, it's ok. Don't worry. Thank you for what you did for him." Callen said, placing a hand on the woman's shoulder, saying his goodbye and immediately taking out his phone. "Eric, I need a favor."

"Hey Callen, shoot." The tech answered promptly.

"Can you check the cameras outside the hospital and see if you can find which taxi Deeks jumped into early this morning?"

"Callen, what… what do you mean?" Eric was confused, but mostly worried.

"Eric, Deeks has been released this morning, he called a cab and left without saying anything to anyone. We need to find where he went." Sam intervened firmly, exchanging a wary glance with his partner.

"I'm on it. Just give me one minute."

"And Eric, not a word to Kensi about it." Callen knew that if Kensi found out about Deeks' disappearance, she would go crazy and stop focusing on her job. She was not on a dangerous assignment, just interviewing a witness, but in their line of work, even the littlest distraction could be fatal.

"My mouth is sealed and…" Eric talked nonchalantly while working in his computer. "…and I am sending the address to where the taxi driver left Deeks." He paused, shaking his head, almost in disbelief.

As his phone beeped, Sam read the text and a small smile curled his lips. "Son of a…" He showed it to his partner who couldn't do anything other than grin.

"Thanks Eric and remember, not a word to Kensi." The team leader closed the communication, patting his friend on the shoulder. "Let's go get that dumbass…"

They arrived at their destination half an hour later. They got out of the car and their trained eyes started looking for the familiar figure of their friend. It took them just a few minutes to catch a glimpse of him.

Deeks was sitting on the beach, staring at the ocean. His hands were touching the sand right behind his back while his long legs were stretched in front of him.

As soon as the two agents approached him, they could see that his eyes were closed and his expression peaceful as ever.

"You should have told us where you were going, it could have saved us a lot of work." Callen told him without even greeting him.

"And thank God Kensi doesn't know anything about this stunt you pulled. Damn it, Deeks, you left the hospital without a word. We were worried!" Sam echoed with a scolding tone.

The cop didn't even open his eyes, but his lips curled into a smirk. "You know that you did the same thing the first time you went here. You scolded me… and then we went to get some drinks."

"You forgot that I apologized to you first." The ex-Seal's expression softened, recalling that event. It was probably the beginning of their weird, complicated, and conflicting friendship.

Deeks chuckled, finally opening his eyes. "Sorry, I… I didn't mean to sneak out of the hospital, but I… I needed to come here." His face was peaceful and his eyes were shining happily. The ocean, the beach, and the smell of the salty air had always had a great effect on him, a therapeutic one and now more than ever, he needed it. "Joey's gone, but The Paradise of Surfing is still standing." His voice was barely a whisper as he was clearly remembering all the time he had spent here working at the surf shop for Joey Bradbury, one of the few people who showed him some sort of affection and love when he was a teenager.

Callen sat next to him and Sam knelt right behind them, like he was keeping a protective eye on both of his friends.

"How long has it been since you've been here?" The team leader asked, realizing the reason why the cop was here. He truly understood.

"I… sincerely I don't know exactly. Probably a year, more or less." There was a sad inflection in the cop's voice, a melancholic note that he was not able to hide. The beach had always been one of his safe refuge, since he was just a kid who wanted to get away from his father. After every undercover operation, going to the beach and surfing was his way to decompress, to feel himself again after so much time being someone else.

Sam gulped, bowing his head. It had been a while since he'd had some long undercover assignments, but he remembered the feeling of loneliness that came with them. He didn't know if he could go back to live that kind of life. He had done them sporadically, once in a while, and he couldn't believe that Deeks did that regularly. "How did you do that? Long undercover ops are rough…"

The blond detective closed his eyes once again, allowing the soft breeze to lash on his face, like he wanted to lose himself in the air, to forget about everything. "It's… what I do and it's probably the only thing I'm good at."

Callen felt sorry for him because, once again, he was selling himself short, a bad habit that he didn't lose, probably because it was too entrenched in his mind and soul… because of what that asshole of his father used to tell him and used to make him feel. "Hey, this is not true."

"And how do you know, Callen? You haven't seen me in ages and you think you know me so well?" Deeks' face darkened and his jaw line hardened. "You don't really know anything…"

"So tell us! We're your friends, Deeks!" The team leader's voice rose as he ground his teeth. "We heard what Bates told us. What you do for living is tough, but we all can see that deep down you're still the same kid we met in high school. We can see it in your eyes… no one thinks less of you because of your job."

"But I do, Callen. You don't know what I've had to do to save my ass." His eyes watered and he had to use all of his effort to not cry. He was looking at his trembling hands, almost in horror. "Sometimes I… I don't even know who I am. I wake up and I feel… I feel lost…" He felt a pair of strong hands on his shoulders and knew exactly to whom they belonged to.

"Well, we're here now, to remind you every day of who you are." In a brotherly way Sam moved his hand to his friend's neck, feeling him tremble under his touch. He took a long deep breath before talking again, knowing that what he was going to say might be tough. "You shouldn't have shut us off like you did. Do you know how we felt when we came to visit you in juvie and they said that you didn't want to see us anymore? We felt lost, because we were friends… we knew that you missed Kensi and you were not in the best place at that moment, but we were ready to help you. And you wouldn't have had to face everything alone."

A tight knot formed in Deeks' stomach and for a moment he couldn't even breathe. "I… I am sorry. I was not thinking straight. When… when Kensi left my whole world crumbled down. She was… she was what had been keeping me going, without her I didn't know what to do. And I lost it…"

"It's over now. We're together. The whole gang is. Like old times." Callen intervened, trying to reassure his friend, sensing that he needed it more than ever.

"Yeah, until the next assignment…" The cop whispered, hoping his friend didn't hear him.

"Why don't you ask for a transfer? You're an experienced detective, not just some uniform. I bet you can move to any other department." The team leader suggested, but the cop's face was not very convinced.

A sad laugh escaped from Deeks' mouth. "Let's just say that I am not Mr. Popular at LAPD. You know how it is with undercover cops. I've pissed off more than my fair share of shields. I am not on the top of the appreciation list."

"But you have skills, they can't be so blind..." Sam protested, not understanding how things might be so bad. "…and if they are you can ask a doc to put you on medical leave for a while, before you got burned out."

"I wish it was so easy…" Marty said before silence fell amongst them. "Where's Kensi?" He finally asked like he wanted to escape from the previous conversation.

"She and Nell went to interview a witness in our last case. And be glad she was not the one who found out about your little… escape." The ex-Seal was glad of the change of subject since the whole conversation had made him uneasy. He was a Seal and for a Seal the team is everything, you live for your team, you die for it. He couldn't understand how it was possible that at LAPD things worked so differently.

"Oh, she's not that bad…"

"What? Maybe you don't remember how mad Kensi can get and you better not be around a very pissed Kensi Blye!" Callen joked even if his eyes were absolutely serious. A very mad Kensi was someone he didn't want to meet. "But speaking of Kensi, how are things between the two of you?"

A sweet smile lightened up Deeks' expression and even his eyes sparkled. "We're… taking things slow, as they come to us. Without putting too much pressure on… on it, but it… it feels good." He took a long intake of breath, inhaling the salty air. "It's been a while since I… since I had someone so close in my life and… well Kensi is… she's different, she is…"

Sam placed his big hand on the cop's neck once again. "Just be careful with her. She is a badass but she's been hurt in the past."

Marty nodded seriously. "You don't have to tell me. I can feel that she is not telling me the whole truth, that she's holding something back, but… I… I can wait until she's ready to tell me."

The two agents exchanged a pleased glance, satisfied by his answer and glad that even after so many years and after so many things had happened to him, he was still the same loyal and caring person he was when he was a kid.

Callen was about to reply to him, when his phone rang. "Hey Eric, what's up? Wow… slow down… what? Where? Ok… yes, of course… yes. You just calm down, ok? Good. I'll call you later." As he closed the communication, he found two pair of concerned eyes staring at him asking for an explanation.

"What's wrong, G?" Sam wondered, straightening up.

"It seems that… well something went wrong."

"Something went wrong? What the hell are you talking about, G?" The ex-Seal was losing his patience.

"The witness Nell and Kensi went to interview… he freaked out and now he is holding them hostage." The team leader managed to finish this time.

"What?" The other two men yelled in unison.

"We have to go, Sam. Eric sent us the address and directed a tactical squad there." Callen was on his feet and already checking his phone to show his partner the address. They were moving towards their car when he heard a voice behind them.

"I'm coming with you!"

"Deeks, I don't think it's wise. You've just got out of the hospital and this is an NCIS case…" Sam couldn't even finish his sentence.

"Oh, hell to that, Sam! I said I am coming with you! You can try to stop me if you want, but I am a cop and I can find a way to get there, with or without your help!" Deeks' whole body vibrated with determination. His eyes were darker than usual and couldn't hide how dangerous and serious he was.

The ex-Seal turned to look at his partner, who just shook his head.

"Deeks, you know…"

"Shut up, Callen! You're not going to stop me! It's Kensi for God's sake!" The cop screamed, but then his voice softened. "And Nell is my friend too."

The team leader bowed his head, sighing, but it was Sam who spoke. "Ok, you can come, but if I see that you are not fit to be there, I will kick your ass until you end up on an ambulance. Do you get it?"

"Damn right…" Deeks started walking away, realizing that no one was following him. "So, are you coming or not? We have work to do!"

* * *

She blinked repeatedly as she regained consciousness. Her head was pounding but all in all she seemed fine. Kensi made a quick assessment of her condition, relieved that beside the bump on the back of her head, she was okay. She was in what looked like a basement, barely lit by a lamp dangling from the ceiling, her hands were tied with a rope in front of her, but she was free to move her legs.

It should have been a quiet job - talk to a witness, get his statement, and then leave. Easy peasy. Too bad, things went slightly different. The man, Anton Marchev, reacted unexpectedly as she knocked at his door. Without any warning, he slammed the same door against her face and, caught off guard, the NCIS agent had fallen to the floor, slamming her head on the concrete and losing consciousness. She remembered calling for Nell… "Oh God… Nell!" She called as a wave of guilt crossed her mind because she had almost forgot about her partner. She was so used to working alone or with Sam and Callen that she hadn't immediately realized that her friend had been with her this time. "Nell!"

A moan coming from the other corner of the room caught her attention. Kensi rushed towards it, sighing in relief when Nell's small figure appeared in front of her.

The petite analyst was sitting with her back against the wall, her hands were also tied in front of her but she seemed unscathed.

"Nell, hey…" The tall brunette told her, touching her face as much as her bound hands allowed her. "Nell, how are you feeling?"

"Why is it so bright? Can you turn off the light please? I can't keep my eyes open…" Nell murmured groggily.

Kensi checked her pupils, noticing how dilated they were, so she could assume that her friend had probably been drugged. "Damn it." She cursed as she tried to find a place where Nell could rest a bit more comfortable. "Come on, girl. I need to move you towards that pile of rags over there, it might not be as comfortable as a mattress but I think it'll work for now."

"Are you going to turn off the light then? It's annoying…" The petite redhead was babbling because of the drug still affecting her.

"No, I'm not going to turn the light off, Nell. I need to see what I am doing if you want me to get us out of this place." Kensi's trained eyes were trying to find a solution to their problem, but it seemed that they were really stuck in this place. There were no windows and the door was locked from the outside. Her nostrils were filled with the stale stench that lingered in the air and this didn't help her stomach.

She looked for her kit to pick the locks and was very glad to find it where she usually hid it, but as she tried to use it, it was clear that it was not working. They were stuck, trapped in this basement, waiting for their destiny. "Damn it!" She repeated again, this time even more frustrated than before.

"Don't worry, Kensi… soon we will be home and I will be away from this blinding light…" Nell said while she was lying on the pile of rags, covering her eyes to protect them from the imaginary light.

"Nell, I'm sorry to break the news to you, but we're trapped in this stinky basement and the guys don't know that we have been kidnapped." The brunette slammed her bound fists against the wall, testing its resistance and consistence. "They think we're interviewing Marchev… they can't imagine him holding us here."

A crazy titterr reached Kensi's ears, coming straight from Nell's mouth. "You should have heard how serious Eric had sounded when I told him that something was off… he always worries too much when I leave him all alone in Ops."

"What?"

"I said that Eric was going crazy when…" The analyst repeated, a bit annoyed when she had to repeat everything she said because her friend didn't hear her or understand her.

"I heard that, Nell," Kensi rushed at her temporary partner's side, making her focus. "But when you called Eric?"

Nell giggled like a little baby, putting her hand over her mouth. "Silly you… After I sent the agent in distress call, obviously." She laughed hysterically before leaning her head against the rags and falling into oblivion.

A big smile finally appeared on Kensi's face. Maybe everything was not lost. The guys knew about their disappearance and they were probably already on their way. Still smiling, she patted her friend's back, shaking her head. "Well done, Nell… well done…" It was so good to know that they were not alone, it was a relief. Now they only had to wait, hoping that Marchev didn't come back before the guys arrived, but even if he did, she'd try to buy them some time, keeping him busy.

The files they read didn't catalogue Anton Marchev as dangerous, so maybe he was only scared. She was going to try to convince him that he was making a mistake and to let them go, but deep down she felt a growing fear. What if the files were wrong? What if Marchev was not the man they thought he was?

Sadly, she couldn't do much at the moment, so she took place next to her friend and waited with her eyes locked on the door, allowing her mind to wander away from here, from this dark place.

She didn't know how long she waited but her stomach started grumbling, bringing her back to the mere reality. She was hungry, thirsty, and her head pounded madly now. "Where are you guys? It would be time to show up now…"

"They are on their way, Kensi." Nell's tiny voice reached her ears.

Kensi hadn't even realized that she had spoken loudly. "Hey, how are you feeling?" She asked, straightening up.

"Mmmm a bit confused, lightheaded, but all in all I'm… fine. What happened?" The analyst stared at her friend with a questioning stance that made her look like a little girl.

"Do you remember Marchev? We went to interview him, but…"

"Oh my God! Yes, I saw you fall unconscious to the ground so after I saw him running towards me, I sent the Agent-in-distress call and I even managed to talk to Eric!"

The tall brunette was curious now, because this part of the story was unknown to her since she was out cold as these events were taking place. "Yeah, you told me that during your rambling…"

"Rambling… oh God, what did I do, Kensi? I hope I didn't embarrass myself!" The analyst looked at her friend with a horrified expression that was rewarded by a small chuckle.

"Don't worry, you didn't tell me anything about your sexual life!" Kensi winked cunningly, glad that at least she was not alone anymore in this. The long minutes when Nell was unconscious had been endless and she had never felt so helpless. They were not safe yet, but at least that gnawing feeling at the pit of her stomach was gone.

Nell sighed, relieved, then she went back to her explanation. "I was trying to get away and find a way to help you, when I found myself face to face with a man who looked like a mountain, he… grabbed me and a second later another man showed up, he was much smaller and approached me with a devilish grin. It was the last thing I remember before I felt the prick of a syringe on my arm and passed out."

"So Marchev is not alone… and he's not exactly who he pretended to be." The tall brunette was still talking when the sound of the door unlocking made her and her friend jump.

The biggest man Kensi had ever seen in her life showed up at the doorstep and started walking down the stairs. He was followed by another man who didn't fit the description Nell had given her about the Mountain's associate so this meant that the party was getting bigger.

"On your feet!" The Mountain ordered with a thick accent and threatening them with a big gun while the other man was holding an automatic weapon as well.

Knowing that they were not in the position to argue, the two agents did what they had been ordered and stood up, slowly making their way up to the stairs.

The bright light of the illuminated kitchen blinded them for a moment, making them stumble. They didn't fall to the ground only because one of the two men supported them.

"Don't get too excited, Dimitri." The Mountain said, flashing a devilish grin. "The boss wants to talk to them before we can have our fun with them."

A cold shiver ran down both Kensi and Nell's spines after hearing those words. Things were definitely worse than they expected.

"Shut up, Yuri. I was just testing the merchandise…" Dimitri replied, grabbing Nell's arm and clenching it tightly. "This one's a bit too skinny for my taste… but this one is delicious." He moved his attention to Kensi, slowly touching her hair with his vicious hand.

"Don't you dare touch me, you filthy bastard!" The brunette tried to be defiant, but her rebellious act gained her a slap across the face.

"Shut up, bitch! You can talk only when we ask you to do it!" Dimitri was going to hit her again, but Yuri the Mountain man stopped him.

"Not now. I have already told you that the boss wanted to talk to them first and you know how he is when things don't go as he planned."

"Gah, you're no fun." Dimitri pushed Nell in the other room while Yuri dragged Kensi to her feet before making her walk, following her friend.

"Well, well, well. I see you are both awake." A small bald man with piecing blue eyes greeted them, sitting on the couch while sipping a glass of liquor. "I was looking forward to this conversation with you." He beckoned to his men who pushed the two agents on their knees right in front of the boss.

Marchev was tied to a chair, his face bloodied after being beaten badly. His head was lolling right and left as he tried to stay conscious. Right behind him stood an armed man and another one was near the window, checking outside for eventual movements.

"Who are you and what do you want from us?" Kensi asked, studying the man in front of her, shivering when his eyes locked on hers. There was nothing human in them. All she could see was coldness and evilness.

Another slap reached her and she had to use all of her strength not to fall to the floor.

"Kensi!" Nell shouted, scared for her friend.

"I thought I told you to talk only when the boss asks you a question." Dimitri told the brunette viciously as he straightened her up.

"Dimitri, please. Don't be rude to our guests." The boss's voice was calm, so calm to be extremely threatening. It was clear that even his men feared him. "Please, forgive my man, he can be a bit instinctive."

Kensi spat some blood coming from the inside of her mouth on the floor and didn't give the man a chance to appear scared. Nell on the other hand was trying to keep herself together, but she was not doing a great job since she was terrified.

The boss theatrically got up and walked towards them, deliberately moving in slow motion. It was part of his game. "I am sorry for you, but Anton didn't give me enough answers to my questions, so I… have to ask them to you as well. I am sure that you don't want to end up like him."

At the same time, the man standing behind Marchev moved in front of him and grabbed his bloodied face in his big hands, putting pressure on the poor man's possibly crushed cheekbone. A horrific pained scream filled the air, chilling the agents' bones.

They knew they were screwed. If only the guys would show up now…

"So if you answer my questions, this is going to be very easy and painless. If you don't… well…" The boss made a little gesture with his head and Yuri immediately slapped Nell, who didn't see it coming and was crushed on the floor by the heavy blow.

"Nell!" Kensi cried out, but her hair was yanked backward by Dimitri's hand. She struggled as she watched the Mountain put her petite friend back on her knees while blood was pouring out of a cut on her already swollen cheek.

"So Agent… Blye," the boss said, staring at Kensi's badge in his hands "Tell me what you know about the bombs."

The brunette was taken by surprise. She didn't know anything about any bombs. They were investigating drug trafficking on a couple Navy ships that had led to the homicide of a Petty Officer. No one ever mentioned any bomb. Her blood froze, feeling like she didn't know what to say to save herself and Nell some pain. She felt strong fingers circling her neck while it was stretched backwards.

"Tell me about the bombs, Agent Blye. I am losing my patience." The boss was on her, his blue eyes were going deeply into her, searching for a crack in her shield of defiance. His fingers clenched, biting into her skin.

Kensi immediately felt air deprived. She tried to push the man's hand away but, with the position she was in and the man's strength, she couldn't move. She closed her eyes, attempting to shake her head.

"We don't know anything about any bombs!" Nell cried out before she was reached by a heavy blow to her stomach. Pain exploded in her whole body and for a moment she was blind. Yuri was double her size and made of iron, his punches felt like they were delivered by a metal pipe. "Let her… go…" She murmured feebly.

The boss loosened his grip on Kensi's neck a bit, allowing her to breathe. "I don't believe you. What do you know about the bombs?" he asked again.

The brunette managed to shake her head this time. "We… know… nothing." She panted, trying to get some air even if the man's hand was still on her neck.

"We are investigating a drug trafficking case…" Nell told him, using all of her energy left. Her stomach was hurting fiercely and she was about to get sick. "We don't know anything about the bombs."

"You're LYING!" The boss clenched his vice against Kensi's neck, putting even more pressure in the gesture now.

Nell could see that her friend was struggling to breathe and was quickly becoming cyanotic. "NO! We're not lying, please… let her go!"

The boss was grinding his teeth, trembling as he was slowly strangling the tall agent, but he managed to beckon at Yuri who yanked Nell's head back and took out his gun, aiming it at the petite redhead's temple.

"Last call, I don't care who talks. I want my answer! What-do-you-know-about-the-bombs? Give me an answer and I'll stop…" the bald boss viciously said to Kensi.

The brunette was losing her battle with consciousness. Her vision was getting fogged. She couldn't breathe… in the distance she heard the man questioning her, but his voice was faint and incomprehensible. Images started to slide in front of her eyes… she was dying, she knew there was nothing she could do to stop this man from killing her. She blinked, feeling the tears rolling down her cheeks. She tried to focus, to resist, but it was too late. In front of her eyes appeared a scruffy face, a blond mop of shaggy blond hair and a pair of amazing blue eyes. "Deeks…" she silently said.

It was then that the echo of a gunshot resounded in the air, followed by the unmistakable sound of a body falling to the ground.

"Nell…" Kensi wanted to scream her friend's name, but her world went black and everything was engulfed by darkness.


	24. Chapter 24

And a new chapter is up. Big thanks to purecraziness for her help and to all of you for reading this story.

* * *

Chapter 24

Sam drove his Challenger like crazy to get to the address as soon as possible. Next to him, in the passenger seat, Callen was silently thinking about their next moves when they would arrive at destination. The tactical team was on its way but they were closer.

In the back seat, Deeks was shifting, moving his weight left and right to find a better position, one that made him more comfortable. Even though he didn't want to admit it, his still healing chest wound hurt like hell and he didn't even remember when he took the last painkiller. His expression was determined as ever. His friends were in danger, friends he had found after a long time, friends who reminded him of one of the best moments of his childhood. And then there was Kensi… he didn't know how he truly felt about her, their new rediscovered relationship was just at the beginning but he knew that he wanted more and he couldn't let any stupid criminal take his chance away. Not now that for the first time he could be happy with the woman of his dreams.

"How far?" He asked, peeking out between the two front seats. He grunted as his body moved, but tried to hide it as much as he could.

"Almost there, Deeks." Callen replied, studying the cop's face through the rear view mirror. "How are you feeling?" He wondered, worried because of the pained moans that he heard every time the detective shifted in the seat.

"I'm good. I just need to get Kensi and Nell back." Deeks stated firmly, leaving no space to any reply.

"We'll get them back, safe and sound." Sam felt the need to add, not only for his friend's sake but even for his own. He couldn't even think about a bad outcome for this situation. Nell and Kensi went to interview a man who was not supposed to be dangerous, they both could take care of themselves… Kensi was one badass agent and Nell had a lot of smartness on her side, but he couldn't help feeling really concerned.

"Yeah, right…" Came the cop's not very convinced remark before the inside of the car fell silent again.

Fifteen minutes later the Challenger stopped on the other side of Anton Marchev's house. Sam had parked it in a hidden spot behind a series of trash bins.

The three men got out of the car and immediately un-holstered their guns.

"We need to be careful now. From the outside everything looks calm, but we don't know what's going on inside." The team leader was studying his surroundings as his mind was already forming a plan. "Sam and I should take the front, Deeks, how do you feel about taking the back? Are you up for it?"

"Never been better." The blond cop affirmed, loading his gun to show his intentions.

"Ok, we need to be careful. Marchev was not supposed to dangerous, but we don't know what's going on in his head and we don't have any idea of Kensi and Nell's whereabouts." The ex-Seal gently patted the cop's shoulder, careful not to hurt him, surprised when he felt how tense he was. "Deeks…"

The detective didn't let him finish, his eyes were locked on the driveway of Marchev's house. "Do you know what car this Marchev's guy owns or if he has more than one?"

The two NCIS agents moved their attention to the spot Deeks was pointing at. There were two cars in the driveway; a blue Chevy and a dark green BMW SUV.

"He's got company…" Callen said, not liking a single bit of this. Things were probably more complicated than they expected at first.

"Another reason to get Nell and Kensi out of there." Sam echoed, nodding at his partner. "So front door, partner?"

The team leader nodded as he studied Deeks' face. The man was so focused, so determined, that his whole expression had changed and he was barely recognizable. "Deeks, back door?"

"Back door." The cop simply repeated.

"We take a look inside and if things gets too complicated we wait for the tac team, ok?" Callen asked, receiving a convincing nod from his partner and a very distant and distracted one from Deeks. "Hey, we're all on the same boat here. They are our friends too, so can I count on you to have our back and to not do anything too reckless?"

The cop locked his blue eyes on Callen's. "I am not one of your probies… I know what to do, don't worry." He flashed a grin that was more creepy than reassuring.

"Ok then, let's go." The ex-Seal moved between the two men, trying to ease the tension burning in the air. He literally pushed his partner towards the front door while watching Deeks move in the opposite direction to take the back. When the cop was out of range, he wondered, "What do you think?"

The team leader sighed heavily, keeping his attention focused on the house they were about to enter. "I hope he can keep his head in the game. The stakes are too high."

"And don't you think he knows? You saw those two back at the hospital… they care about each other like they've never been apart. The last thing he wants is Kensi possibly getting hurt." His partner reassured him.

"Yeah, I know… it's just… I…" Callen arrived near the house, so all of his doubts were forcefully forgotten. He had other matters to think about at the moment. Sam joined him, both remaining under the window so no one from the inside could see them. After exchanging a knowing glance with his friend, the team leader took a peek inside right when he saw a big man who was punching Nell in her stomach. "Damn it!" He cursed, taking cover.

"What, G? What did you see?" The ex-Seal wanted to cast a glance inside himself, but trusted his partner's judgment and looking inside could expose him to a useless risk.

"I saw four men; one checking the window on the other side of the room," Callen lowered his voice in order to not be heard from the inside but only by his friend. "Another two are holding Nell and Kensi… and the last one is probably asking them questions. They have their hands tied and are a little banged up, but all in all, it seems that they are holding up."

"What about Marchev? Do you have eyes on him?"

The team leader shook his head, sadly. "He's out of commission and for sure he was not in league with these guys according to how they beat him to a pulp." Callen explained. He was still talking when he heard some pained cries coming from the inside, he couldn't understand what the voices were saying but he could discern to whom they belonged too." Damn it… we have to do something before it's too late."

Another agonizing but muffled scream reached their ears, chilling their bones.

"Oh hell, time to move, G!" Sam told him, preparing to rush into the house. "We could use a diversion…"

He hadn't even finished talking when he heard a commotion coming from the inside, followed by the distinctive and unmistakable sound of a gunshot.

"Deeks!" The two NCIS agents shouted in unison before jumping into action. They kicked the front door, slamming it open. "Federal Agents!" Their trained eyes saw the man who was standing behind Kensi fall to the floor on a heap with a bullet between the eyes, but they didn't have time to enjoy the moment because the man who was guarding the window started shooting at them.

"Callen and Sam, cover me!" Deeks called to them from the opposite side. He was slowly moving towards the two female agents who were both lying on the ground. "Kensi!" He shouted desperately, seeing his friend unmoving on the carpeted floor. Bullets ricocheted around him, but he didn't seem to care. His gunshot wound was burning like hell, but he ignored it, too focused on his task.

Sam aimed his gun at the man near the window as he found shelter behind a wall and, with a precise shot straight in the chest, eliminated the target.

Two down, two to go.

The biggest man, the one who literally looked like a mountain, grabbed Nell by the collar of her shirt and lifted her in the air, attempting to use her as a shield, while he opened fire against the agents.

The petite analyst tried to struggle, but she was too weak and the man was too strong.

Callen gave a silent gesture to his partner and counted to three then got out of his hiding spot and shot a couple of bullets. The Mountain smirked triumphantly, thinking that the NCIS agent was an easy target, but the smile disappeared quickly, turning into a feral grin when Sam's bullet hit him in his neck. He even didn't see it coming. He fell to the floor, already dead.

The ex-Seal cast another glare at his partner, rushing to Nell's side while Callen observed the last man, the bald one, literally dragging Kensi on her feet. The brunette was barely conscious and couldn't stop coughing as she tried to get some air after being almost choked to death.

"Let her go," Deeks told him, pointing his gun at the man's head. He didn't have a clear shot and neither did Callen.

The man holding Kensi was standing between them with the barrel of his gun aimed at the brunette's head.

"No way, she's my ticket to freedom. Lower your weapon and let me go, then I will let her go."

"You know there's no way out for you." Callen's voice resounded steady and fierce. His eyes were studying the whole situation, moving from the bald man, to Kensi and then to Deeks. The man was slightly trembling from the tension, but his expression and his eyes didn't display any hint of nervousness. Kensi was still coughing but she seemed a bit more alert. Deeks' face was sweaty and losing a bit of color. Callen didn't know how long he was able to go on.

"And do you think we're stupid? Let her go and you will walk out of here on your legs!" The cop affirmed, blinking repeatedly. He was in pain, but he couldn't stop right now, not until Kensi was safe.

"Ahahahah," the man burst out laughing. "You're so pathetic. If you were able to take me down, you would have already done it." His voice showed a great confidence in what he was doing.

"Are you sure?" Deeks tilted his head as his finger danced on the trigger. A little smile curled his lips while his eyes looked for Callen. There was a brief second in which the two of them communicated only with their eyes, a weird form of communication. The cop moved a step forward as his smile became bigger.

"Don't you dare move or I will shoot her!" The bald man yelled, losing a bit of his calmness for the first time.

"Oh, you said it yourself, if you knew that shooting her would get you out of here, you would have already done it." Deeks continued moving, slowly but inexorably.

Callen observed the whole scene, amazed and at the same time worried by the cop's behavior. The detective has got skills, that was for sure. He was trying to piss the bad guy off, drawing attention to him… and well, it was working. The bald man was getting nervous. As he watched Deeks move a step further forward, the team leader tightened the grip on his weapon.

"Stop! Don't move! Not another step or I shoot her!" The bad guy threatened again. Instinctively, he moved his gun from Kensi's head to Deeks. This was his biggest mistake and the chance the cop and the NCIS agent was waiting for.

As the man moved his attention to the blond detective, Deeks threw himself to the floor while Callen took the shot. Two bullets reached the man in his thigh and the other one in his side. He let Kensi go and without the man's support, she fell to the floor as well.

The team leader moved quickly to kick the man's gun far away from his struggling form, while Deeks, with a big effort and a pained grunt, got on his feet and rushed toward the brunette.

He knelt next to her, gently holding her and lifting her up, so she was able to sit.

"Dee…ks…" she whispered with a feeble voice, fighting her hoarse throat still clenched after been almost strangled.

"It's ok, Kens… it's over…" The cop told her, gently cupping her face and brushing her air away from her forehead. He was shaking and cold sweating, but couldn't hide his relief.

"You two are ok?" Callen asked, as he checked on the bad guy. The only answer was a double nod from both Kensi and Deeks who were still staring at each other. "Sam, how's Nell?" He asked to his partner.

"Nell is fine, Callen." Came the shaky reply from the analyst.

A small smile lightened up the team's leader's face as he sighed in relief. He watched Kensi lose herself in Deeks' embrace, as she leaned her head against his shoulder.

"I've got you, Fern… I've got you." The cop murmured, holding her tightly, afraid that if he let her go, she would disappear. "We're going home now. We're going home."

* * *

Three days after the events of that infamous morning, the NCIS OSP building was very quiet. Kensi and Nell were on sick leave even though they both claimed that they were ok and wanted to go back to work. Hetty had been adamant though, literally forcing them to take all the time the doctor had given them to recover and heal nicely at home.

They didn't have a new case so Eric, Sam, and Callen were more than enough to get the office going. Actually, the two senior agents were bored to death with all the paperwork they were doing and missed a bit of action.

"What do you think, G? Why don't we go hit the gym for a couple of rounds? I can't stand doing paperwork anymore. It's been three days and my fingers need some exercise!" Sam said, standing up and stretching his arms in front of him. "I think my legs are going to lose the ability to move if I don't do something physical."

"Oh, come on, Sam, confess it. You're just afraid your butt is assuming the shape of the chair, that's what you're worried about!" Callen couldn't stop himself from chuckling at his own joke.

"You know you're going to pay for this…" The ex-Seal pretended to do some warm-up exercises, the ones you do before a boxing match, punching the air with his fists and then jumping jacks. "See, I am ready for the match."

The team leader shook his head, grateful for the joke and for his partner's generally good mood. Usually, Sam got cranky very easily when he was forced to inactivity for so long. "Look, let's do it this way. You go ahead. I need to take these reports to Hetty, then I will join you in the gym."

The ex-Seal cast a skeptical gaze at his friend, not very convinced. "Isn't this a way to get away from a good fight, G? Because, just for the record, I am a patient man, I know how to wait. I do yoga, I do Zen exercises, so I can control my body and mind… and mostly I can get back here and drag you to the gym in the blink of an eye." He flashed an amused, dimpled smile, before he started walking away, slapping the big muscles of his arms. "Fifteen minutes, G, then I am coming to get you, remember…"

A fat laugh escaped from Callen's mouth as he grabbed a pile of reports and moved towards Hetty's office.

"Is there anything I can do for you, Mr. Callen?" The Operations Manager asked him as soon as he approached her desk.

"I just wanted to get you these before having my ass kicked by my eager partner." He answered as he placed the pile of folders on the desk. "You always say that we are too slow with paperwork, for once I wanted to surprise you."

"Thank you, Mr. Callen, but you have always surprised me, more than you can imagine." She smiled behind her glasses as she attempted to go back to what she was doing on her laptop. She noticed that her senior agent was still standing in front of her, like he wanted to ask something but couldn't find the words or the courage to do it. "Anything else, Mr. Callen?"

The team leader took a long deep breath and sat in the chair, right in front of his boss. "You… you saw something in Deeks back then, when we were in high school, didn't you? He was another one…" He told her, frowning.

"Like I've told you more than once, my job back then was to find potential assets for this agency."

"That is not an answer to my question." He pointed out, leaning against the back of the seat of the elegant chair.

"But this is what I did in the past. And you never know when you can find something valuable… and mostly where." The diminutive woman poured a cup of tea from her pot. "Tea, Mr. Callen?"

Callen shook his head, narrowing his eyes, trying, in vain, to read his boss's expression. "You… you should have seen him, Hetty. He did good, actually he did very good. Probably, without his help, we… or at least some of us, wouldn't be here."

"You heard what Lieutenant Bates said about Mr. Deeks. He is one of the best, if not the best, undercover cop he has ever worked with and trust me, Lieutenant Bates is not a man who sends praises so easily." Hetty sipped his tea, feeling the hot liquid warm her entire body.

"Did… did you know where he was before the Harris case? Because… well if you knew, well…" His words fell in the air because Hetty stopped him, preventing him from finishing his sentence.

"Are you accusing me of keeping things from you?"

"No, it's not like that, even though I know you like doing it once in a while." Callen smirked cunningly, before continuing. "But this is not the point. You probably don't know what happened when Kensi left the country when she was fifteen, you don't know how much it broke both her and Deeks. They had something special… but if she finds out that you knew where Deeks was and kept if from her, she won't like it."

"Mr. Callen, I have already told you that I was just as surprised as you were to find Mr. Deeks involved in the Harris case. What I am not surprised about is his qualities and abilities," she paused, giving the team leader one of her enigmatic smirks. "I am more surprised that you for one, didn't believe in him."

"Who said I didn't believe in him? I…" Callen jumped on his feet, angry at first, but then realized the game she was playing. "Ok, you're doing it again, playing with me, turning my words against me, I…"

"Mr. Callen, I suggest you use all of this energy in the gym against your partner, before, like you put it in a more colorful way, you get your ass kicked by our Mr. Hanna."

"So, is this my clue to leave?" He asked ironically, realizing that he had been dismissed. He cast a look at his boss, studying her unflappable and enigmatic expression. He was already out of her sight when he turned around to face her one more time. "Will you ever stop playing with us like we are pawns on a chessboard? I understand what you're doing and I almost understand why you're doing it as well, but sometimes you should remember we're not pawns. We're people in flesh and blood, with emotions… and we might get hurt. What if one of us were to get too close to the fire and ended up burned? Wouldn't you feel guilty?"

Hetty shivered imperceptibly, but enough for Callen to notice. It was one of the rare occasions in which she was touched by something or by someone. The legendary Hetty Lange never lost her coolness, she was always in control, so being affected by his words made the team leader almost proud, but sad at the same time. Sad because he was probably right… and sincerely he was a bit sick of being used, even if for a positive and useful resolution or for a matter of national security.

"You know, Mr. Callen, most of the time what we do, gets out of our hands. We can't control everything… Sometimes things go as you like, and for others, fate decided to play its game."

"Fate or you?" The team leader was finding the courage to finally confront the diminutive woman, asking questions that had been on his mind for a long time.

"Mr. Callen, whatever I do, is for the greater good. I have possibly made some mistakes, like we all do, but I've never wanted for anyone to get hurt." She sipped her tea again, like she wanted to escape from the conversation that was getting farther then she wanted.

"What you want and what happens is not always the same though." He insisted.

"True." Hetty stated, without giving Callen the chance to reply. Silence fell in the air and the two of them didn't dare to look at each other in the eyes, afraid of what they might see. "I think your partner is waiting for you, Mr. Callen."

The team leader sensed Sam's presence behind him without even turning around, an ability that they developed throughout the years. "You truly like this game, don't you?" He walked backwards until he was next to Sam.

"Everything ok, G?" The ex-Seal could feel the tension cursing through his partner's body.

"Everything as usual." And with that, he passed by Sam and headed towards the gym.

The big ex-Seal cast a skeptical glance at his boss, who seemed lost in her thoughts, while drinking another one of her expensive tea blends. He shook his head and followed his partner. Understanding Hetty was something he gave up a long time ago. The woman was too full of mysteries for his taste.

The Operations Manager waited until her two agents disappeared from her view, then she got up and moved towards the expensive and antique dresser on her right. Using one of the keys she hid in the inside pockets of her jacket, she opened one of the bottom drawers and took out an old, worn, brown folder with the LAPD logo imprinted on it.

She placed it on her desk, caressing the name on the label. _Brandel, M._ She inhaled deeply, closing her eyes for a moment, losing herself into her thoughts, then she opened the file and started reading it.

* * *

Kensi was bored, bored, bored. She hated being stuck at home on sick leave while her teammates were at work catching bad guys. Callen and Sam assured her that there were no new cases but she feared that they were just following Hetty's orders, making her believe that things were quiet even if they weren't.

She picked up the remote controller and flipped through the channels, hoping to find something interesting to watch, but she was out of luck.

She tossed the controller on the couch, leaning her head against the back of the seat and the little gesture caused a bit of discomfort to her throat and neck since they found themselves in the same position of when that creepy guy was choking her. Immediately, she jumped on her feet as the memories assaulted her, as a sense of uneasiness spread through her mind. Her whole body reacted violently and she started shaking.

Kensi started pacing up and down, hoping that she could regain control of her emotions. She hated this sensation of helplessness, of hopelessness, she was stronger than this and she had to fight it, to cope with it much better than she was doing.

A knock at the door made her jerk, taking her breath away, but at the same time brought her back to reality. "I'm coming!" She said tentatively, moving towards the door. She moved the curtains aside, not sure of who it might be. She was not expecting anyone and sincerely, if it was Sam and Callen, she was not in the mood to meet with them. As her eyes landed on the figure standing in front of her door, her face relaxed though, and a big smile formed on her lips. She opened only to find herself face to face to Deeks. "Hey," she greeted him gently.

"Hey you." He gave her one of his infamous grins while his blue eyes sparkled in happiness. He was wearing a pair of khaki shorts and a simple white shirt while at his feet he had a pair of flip-flops. He wasn't alone though, because Monty was with him. "I… I was at home and I was deadly bored, so I thought that you might be bored as well and I wanted to call you, but then I said, why don't you go see how she's doing… and Monty wanted to come along and…" He hesitated, realizing that he was rambling. "And here I am."

Kensi couldn't help herself and chuckled, shaking her head. Even after all of these years, he knew her better than anyone. "And here you are. Would you like to stand there all day or you want to come inside?"

"Well, actually, I wanted to ask you if you were up for a walk to the beach. Monty needs to stretch his legs and so do I." The cop pointed his attention to his dog, who was giving the brunette his best puppy eyes, like he actually understood what his master was talking about.

"Oh man, yes!" She replied promptly. Being stuck at home was getting on her nerves and the idea of a walk along the beach with Deeks was something more appealing. Her heart started beating madly in her chest and she felt a bit nervous. They were still trying to understand where they stood, but she knew that she wanted a chance to start back with him. "Just give me a minute to change into some beach clothes." She disappeared into her apartment and as soon as she closed the door behind her, she was already removing her shirt and long sweatpants.

As promised, two minutes later she showed up, wearing a pair of jeans shorts and a red tank top that made her look gorgeous. She wore a light scarf on her neck to cover the fading bruises of her most recent close-to-death experience.

"Wow," Deeks simply said, whistling in appreciation.

"Shut up!" She gave him a light slap on his arm and then started walking, immediately followed by Monty. A second later the cop was at her side.

They walked in silence for a while, enjoying the sun and the fresh breeze. "Man, I needed this." He murmured, inhaling deeply, allowing the salty air of the approaching ocean to fill his nostrils. "I've been stuck at home for the last two days… and it was driving me crazy. Bates even sent a patrol to check on me, to see if I was really at home."

"What? Isn't he a bit oppressive?" She asked, perplexed, furrowing her brows.

"A bit, but in his gruff and surly way, he cares for me. Tommy was a good friend of his and he promised on his grave to take care of me. This is just his way of doing it." For a moment he was lost in his thoughts, his expression couldn't hide his melancholy.

"Do you miss him?" She asked out of nowhere, without the need to specify of whom she was talking about.

"Yeah, every day. He was the first person that showed me some real unconditional love… what a real father should be." As he spoke, Deeks saw how Kensi bowed her head and her eyes saddened. Without thinking twice, he took her hand in his. "And I think you know what I'm feeling…"

She didn't know how a simple touch, from his warm hand, could make her feel so much better. It was like he could take away her bad memories, her pain. She nodded, fighting the knot in her stomach, the same moment in which Monty started moaning and running in circles around them. "Hey, what's up with him?"

Marty smiled, petting his dog's head. "I know, boy. Yes… go!" He unleashed Monty, who rushed towards a little tiki-bar situated at the border of the beach.

"How long have you had him?" Kensi wondered curiously, she still remembered the old Monty, the one he had when he was a kid.

"Seven years. Monty… my old Monty died a long time ago and I had promised myself that I wouldn't get another dog. I… I suffered too much when he died, but during one of my fist days as a cop, while doing patrol, I found him. He was so tiny… and probably just a few days old. I looked into his eyes and I was toast. I took it home with me and he's been with me ever since." He cast an amused look at his dog as he was greeted by a young woman who had stepped out of the tiki-bar.

Kensi couldn't not notice how Monty and the woman seemed very familiar. As soon as they approached the bar, she got a better view of her. She was a tall girl, a little taller than herself probably, with light brown hair. There was something familiar in her, like she reminded her of someone. Before she could shake away the weird feeling, the young woman approached them with a big smile on her tanned face.

"Marty!" She screamed, running towards Deeks and hugging him warmly. "It's been a while, stranger."

The NCIS agent felt a mix of emotions running through her heart and soul , anger, jealousy, and nervousness. She bit her lip, trying to control herself, but doing so she didn't realize that the cop was staring at her, grinning like an idiot.

"Easy there, Kensalina… no need to be jealous." He told her, barely able to keep his amusement at bay. "Kens, this is Brianna. Bri, this is Kensi."

"Kensi? That Kensi?" The young woman asked, almost in shock.

"The one and only." Deeks remarked proudly, placing his hand on Kensi's lower back, gently taping his fingers on her skin.

"Oh my God! And when were you going to tell me about it? I can't believe it…" Brianna's big smile brightened up her whole expression. "I need to tell Tim. Gosh, I can't believe it!"

"I am sorry to interrupt you, but… but am I missing something?" The brunette asked, tilting her head to one side, frowning.

"Oh, God. Forgive me. My name is Brianna Hendricks… you probably don't remember me, but I was… I lived with Mary for a while at the Francis' house." Bri started, holding Kensi's hand.

The NCIS agent's eyes widened in shock. "You are… you are…"

"I am the girl this idiot saved from the fire and you were the girl who came to save him."

Deeks felt a bit embarrassed, remembering what happened that infamous night and how his actions on that night brought them to their final goodbye. "Look, Bri, why don't you make a couple of your fabulous burgers and two beers? I… I need to talk to Kensi."

Knowing Marty as good as she did, Brianna understood and nodded gravely. "Sounds good to me. It was nice to meet you, Kensi." Then, turning her attention to the still happy dog, she added, "Come on Monty-boy, who's up for a treat?"

Deeks watched Bri leave and guided Kensi to one of the tables facing the ocean.

"What's her story?" The brunette asked curiously.

"After I… well, I was sent to juvie, but Brianna was fortunately luckier. She found a foster family who loved her and cared for her until her mother was able to take care of her. They even helped her and her mother when she didn't live with them anymore. They owned this little place and when she was old enough, they left it to her. Bri is such a kind spirit, she loves working with people and with kids… this is the perfect place." His words had started full of sorrow, but as soon as he started talking about Brianna, his eyes lightened up in happiness. "I met her ten years ago, more or less, when I came here to surf. I am the one who reintroduced her to Timothy, one of the kids who lived with us at the Francis'… and I was the best man at their wedding."

"Wow, Marty Deeks, the matchmaker." Kensi smiled kindly, gently caressing his face. It seemed like such a natural gesture to her and it made her feel good.

Deeks tentatively moved his head so he could enjoy her tender touch, moaning with pleasure as his eyes closed. Then, he took her hand in his and kissed it softly. "Kensi… I… I don't know about you, but… I… I never stopped thinking about you. You were what kept me going in my darkest days, when I thought that there was nothing left for me, I closed my eyes and lost myself in your face." He inhaled deeply before continuing, "When I saw you in that alley, near Harris' club, I couldn't believe it. I thought you were a dream… I thought that, for the first time in a long time, Lady luck was smiling at me. I… I could have a new chance… Life was giving me another chance. I would like to take it, Kens. I would like to have another chance with you"

"Deeks, wait." She cupped his face, preventing him from going on any further.

His face lost its color, like his whole world was crumbling down. "But maybe you… don't want the same. I… I understand." He retreated from her touch, barely hiding his disappointment.

"No, please, I… I want a chance with you as well, but… it's complicated. I…" Kensi hesitated, trying to find the right words to tell him what was going on in her mind and heart. "When… when I was in Paris, I met someone, someone I knew from before, someone who has been important to me."

"Jack…" Marty whispered, sighing heavily. Jack had been Kensi's first love but had left her. His disappointment turned into anger.

"Yes, Jack. We started everything from the beginning and when he moved back to the U.S. I followed him back. He was sent to Fallujah and when he came back from his last tour, he was not the same anymore. I helped him, as much as I could, but one morning I woke up and he was not there anymore." She was trying to hold the tears, but it was not easy.

"I… " Deeks felt a knot clenching his stomach, thinking about what that Jack guy did to Kensi, not realizing what an amazing woman she was. "It was no more than two weeks that I'd been living with Tommy and one night I woke up screaming in my bed. I had dreamed about my mother. Tommy simply held me in his arms, even if I was not a kid anymore, he told me that I shouldn't be mad at my mother. I should be grateful to her, because if she hadn't left me, I wouldn't be there in his arms in that moment, feeling all the love he was giving me." Without any warning, he guided Kensi in his strong arms, holding her tightly. "Jack was an asshole because he didn't realize how amazing you are. And I am grateful to him, because if he didn't leave you, you wouldn't be with me, right now, in my arms."

Kensi couldn't believe his words, no one had ever put what happened to her in that perspective, no one had ever made her feel this way with just a few words. Her heart warmed and her tears slowly stopped. Her whole face lost all the sadness and became more confident, determined. Her eyes that, only a few minutes ago, were filled with worry and sorrow, were now shining in happiness. She wanted to tell him how much his presence meant to her, how grateful she was for being there with her, but her throat was suddenly dry and not a word came out of her mouth. So, still smiling, she placed her hands on his cheeks, gently brushing his stubble, and with a quick and firm movement, she guided his lip towards hers and kissed him.

At first, he was almost in shock, not expecting her reaction, but as soon as he felt her soft lips on his, he lost himself in her. He kissed her back with growing passion. The cage he had secluded his heart into throughout the years, literally exploded, going to pieces and for the first time, since that infamous day at the reformatory, when Kensi had said him goodbye, he felt like he could be happy again, happy with the woman of his dreams.

They broke apart when they were both out of breath, leaning their foreheads against each other's, their eyes locked while they breathed the same air, while their hearts beat in unison.

"So, where does this leave us?" He asked rhetorically, tenderly touching her cheek with the back of his hand.

"I feel like I am fifteen again, like we never left…" Kensi held his hand, closing her eyes to fully enjoy the moment. "I feel like I want you in my life, I feel like I want this for us… I want this kind of happiness. I feel like I want you, Marty Deeks." She said, surprising herself for the determination with which she said those words. She didn't know she had it in her and once again, she felt like it was his presence that gave her courage, that gave her strength.

As an answer, Deeks kissed her again, with more desire, feeling the burning flame of love glowing inside of him. "I will never leave you Kens, not voluntarily. I never stopped thinking about you and I am not going to stop now. Since the day I met you, I knew there was something special between us…. Call me crazy, but I always thought that we were destined to a future together and this is the proof. No matter what we've been through, how many demons we've fought or how many secrets we've hid. We're here, Kens. Together. This was simply meant to be… we were meant to be." He finished his sentence, kissing her again then, turning serious, he cleared his throat. "Kensi Marie Blye, would you give me the honor of becoming my girlfriend?"

Kensi was stunned, for a moment his behavior had disoriented and she feared that he was making a further step, rushing things out.

Seeing her uncertainty, but reading the answer he was looking for in her eyes, Marty burst out laughing. "Ahahah don't worry, Kensi. We're taking things slowly. We may have missed too many years of happiness in our lives, but I don't want to rush things with you. I want to taste every second with you, like there's no tomorrow. I want to enjoy every single second with you… because I love you and respect you too much to do things in a rush." He noticed how her whole body relaxed and her expression softened. "And I always wanted to do that… since I was fifteen!"

This time Kensi couldn't stop herself and a fat laugh escaped from her mouth. No one could make her laugh and cry and then laugh again in the way Deeks was able to do. She remembered one of the things her father always told her. _Remember baby girl, a man who is able to make you laugh at least one time a day, is a good man with a great heart. When you find him, don't let him go._ A sweet smile curled her lips now, as she stared at Marty's blue eyes, losing herself in them. "I love you, Marty Deeks, and I will be proud to be your girlfriend."

She hugged and kissed him again, happy as they had never been. The whole world disappeared around them… they didn't care about anything else other than each other. It was all they needed.

* * *

It was late that night when Hetty stepped into the small bar, moving towards the counter where a lonely customer was drinking a glass of whiskey. His expression was serene, his whole body relaxed, a clear sign that the man was at peace.

"I didn't know this was the kind of place you might frequent."

"You don't know a lot of things about me, Mr. Deeks." The diminutive woman replied, climbing on the stool. "May I join you in your celebration? I think congratulations are in order."

Deeks lifted his eyebrows, trying to understand how she had found out, but knowing that it was impossible, he simply beckoned to the bartender to bring a glass for Hetty.

She picked up the glass and lifted it like she was making an invisible toast. "Not bad, this place might not be the Hilton, but its whiskey has always been one of the best."

The cop sipped his own drink, allowing the amber-colored liquid to burn his throat. "What do you want, Miss Lange?"

"I prefer Hetty," she smiled cunningly, placing a folder on the counter. "And I had been lectured by my boss because of how badly the Harris case could have ended, because my agency and the LAPD had some lack of communication."

"Yep, we're supposed to be on the same boat. Bates spent at least three hours trying to tell me the same. My ears are still hurting." He chuckled like he did all the time when he made a joke about his boss. He and Bates were like water and oil, they didn't match at all, but they respected each other and knew the other one's value, enough to form a good team.

"That's why my boss suggested me to find a liaison with LAPD, but I told him I already have one." She slid the folder towards Deeks, who tilted his head to one side before opening it. His surprise was even bigger when he found that the folder contained his LAPD files along with an application for the liaison's position.

He read every line, every word, shocked by the amount of personal information contained in those papers. "Who the hell are you guys? And how did you find out about all of this stuff? I… I can't… the only thing missing is…"

He couldn't finish, because Hetty handed him a pen, as she gave him one of her enigmatic smirk.

"No need to date it, Mr. Deeks." She added.

Deeks stared at her, then at the papers… that pen in his hand weighed like a heavy stone. This was probably going to be one of the most important decisions of his life… His fingers trembled as he took a long deep breath. Was he ready for such a change?

* * *

When Kensi entered the bullpen that morning, there was a big smile on her face. She hadn't been this happy in a lifetime, actually she was shining in happiness. She couldn't believe that she had been given a second chance, but she didn't mind. She just enjoyed it. Deeks was back in her life and he had promised her to not be a meteor, but to be something solid. And she knew she could trust him and his word.

"Wow, someone is in a good mood!" Callen greeted her with a suspicious grin on his lips. "I see that your time off did you good, Kensi."

"Or maybe it was a certain LAPD detective…" Nell intervened as she and Eric climbed down the stairs.

"Or his baby blues…" The tech added, barely holding his smile.

"Or his fluffy hair." Finished Sam as a dimpled smirk brightened his expression.

"Oh come on guys, you know I'm not stuck on Deeks." She lied, hoping that they could stop talking about her private life.

"Stuck, smitten… whatever…" Callen joked, winking at her.

Kensi was going to reply to him when Hetty showed up behind her. "Good morning, Miss Blye. It's good to have you back." She told her, moving her attention to Nell. "You too, Miss Jones."

"Thank you Hetty," The two women said in unison.

"And since you are back, Miss Blye, I think it's time for you to have a partner. Miss Jones is precious here in Ops and I need someone who has your back out in the field." The Operations Manager explained seriously.

"But… no! I don't need a partner. I've always worked with Sam and Callen, there's no need to change it." Kensi was literally fuming. She didn't like the idea of a new partner, not at all. She needed her space. "And I don't feel like babysitting some probie. Man, I feel sick just thinking about it."

"I am sorry, Miss Blye, but I think you have to make up with the idea of a new partner. Let me put it in another way - you work with him or you can find another job."

Callen and Sam chuckled. They both knew that Hetty would never fire Kensi, but watching the color leave their friend's face was too entertaining.

"Oh damn it, Hetty. This is not fair!" The brunette didn't like this, actually she hated it, but she liked her job too much to lose it. And, all in all, she might even make this new partner run away. She could be real bitchy if she wanted. "Ok, ok… where is he? Please don't tell me he's not one of those Malibu Ken-like guys, who wears a suit day and night."

"I can guarantee you that your new partner is far from it. Actually, I truly believe you and him will get along very well." Hetty said, looking straight at her female agent.

"I still don't think I need a partner, but since you have already decided." While talking, Kensi turned her back to her boss and went on rambling a little longer.

She didn't realize that the room had fallen silent and no one was talking.

"Please Miss Blye, turn around and meet your new partner." The Operations Manager suggested, giving her no chance.

"I want it to be noted that I'm doing this only because you're ordering me and that I don't want to…" As soon as she turned around, she couldn't go on talking. She was in shock, literally in shock. "Deeks?"

"The one and only." Deeks replied, grinning from ear to ear.

"Miss Blye, please, meet Detective Marty Deeks, our new liaison officer with LAPD."

Kensi didn't even hear her talking. She was barely able to think at the moment. "But.. how… I mean, I know that, but.."

"Well, I have to say that Hetty got me when she said I should have to watch your back…" The cop replied, barely holding a chuckle.

Everyone burst out laughing as the brunette launched herself into Deeks' arms.

"Hey, only this time, I don't want to see any kind of sexual display here in Ops!" Callen cringed as he saw Kensi and Deeks kiss.

The two partners were simply lost in each other. Everyone could see it that now everything was simply perfect, every piece of the puzzle was in place. The family was finally reunited.

Finally, everything was how it was supposed to be. It took them a long time, but everyone was where they were supposed to be.

Kensi and Deeks broke apart and burst out laughing, their laughing was simply contagious.

Hetty opened one of her bottles of scotch, pouring a glass for everyone. "To partners." she said firmly.

"To family." Kensi said, staring at Deeks' eyes.

"To family." Everyone echoed, making a toast.

The cop held his new partner's hand and whispered softly, "I love you"

"I love you, too." She replied.

Yes, everything was just perfect now.

The end.

* * *

And here we are at the end of this long journey. Once again I truly want to thank everyone who read this story, who supported me and who expressed opinions about it. I deeply appreciate it.

Writing these guys as teenagers was challenging, but at the same time it was fulfilling. I am glad you enjoyed it.

Thanks again and see you with another adventure.


End file.
